Piranesi looks the part

Aidan O'Brien isn't represented in tonight's Percy French Maiden at Roscommon but Ballydoyle will have an ear cocked to the result…

Aidan O'Brien isn't represented in tonight's Percy French Maiden at Roscommon but Ballydoyle will have an ear cocked to the result, hoping for a victory for Piranesi. They shouldn't be disappointed.

O'Brien's interest is due to Piranesi's recent placed efforts. The King Edward VII Stakes hopeful, High King, beat Piranesi by a length at Leopardstown in April, with Mudaa-eb third, and followed that up with an admittedly distant third to Urban Ocean at Cork.

Urban Ocean has since gone on to win the Group Three Gallinule at the Curragh and is on course for the Irish Derby.

As maiden form goes, that appears very good and it looks superior to the likes of the Dermot Weld-trained Market Mover, a half length runner-up to Lady Luck at Cork, and Charles O'Brien's Trebizond, who was a decent third to Moon Dragon at Leopardstown.

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Every trainer likes to see the form of his horse's races franked and O'Brien will be hoping Piranesi will do that. He won't be alone.

Siberian Gale returns to the course and distance of his debut chase win in mid-May in the conditions chase, and Paddy Mullins's charge is hard to oppose.

Siberian Gale did nothing wrong on his last visit west, soon leading, going clear soon after and winning unchallenged by seven lengths from Frostbitten, with the smart Palette back in third. The Listowel handicap winner, Shaihar, may be the one for the forecast but Siberian Gale should win.

A finish of necks at Fairyhouse at the start of the month resulted in Knockanure beating Rivana, with Lady Belzoni in third. That was Lady Belzoni's first run so improvement can be expected and Irene Oakes' charge is preferred in the Lecarrow Maiden; while Apremont, third to Mick McCann in a bumper here last time, could be worth a bet in the opening maiden hurdle.

Sumitas, the crack German three-year-old, suffered a shock first defeat in the Group Two Oppenheim Colonia Union Rennen in Cologne yesterday. The colt is expected to undergo veterinary tests to detect if anything is amiss.

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor is the racing correspondent of The Irish Times. He also writes the Tipping Point column