Minalisa primed to defend her crown at Naas

Minalisa relishes fast ground and in such conditions the English sprinter can maintain her excellent record in this evening’s Listed feature at Naas.

Beaten just a head in the 2013 Yeomanstown Stud Stakes, Rae Guest brought Minalisa back to win the six-furlong event impressively a year ago after a relatively ordinary Salisbury warm-up.

The six year old ran in that same Salisbury event a month ago, finishing a disappointing fourth. But Minalisa looked a different proposition on her subsequent Irish raid in 2014 and it's worth betting she can do the same now when reunited with Fran Berry.

Eddie Lynam’s Fort Del Oro is the most inexperienced runner in the race but looked very promising winning a Curragh maiden although that was on easier going. Saturday’s surprise Curragh handicap winner Stroll Patrol could prove Minalisa’s biggest threat.

"She's come out of the race very well," said trainer Johnny Murtagh. "She's been placed in a pattern race in England and hopefully this is a good opportunity to get more black type."

Wayne Lordan looks to have the ingredients for a potentially lucrative evening and David Wachman's decision to drop the Dylan Thomas filly Way Of Light back to six furlongs looks interesting. Wachman's Prance can secure a valuable winning bracket in the three year old maiden.