Sea Leopard best bet

Killarney's July festival winds up this afternoon with a seven-race card that has the Dawn Milk Handicap as a feature.

Killarney's July festival winds up this afternoon with a seven-race card that has the Dawn Milk Handicap as a feature.

The joint amateur champions Philip Fenton and Paul Maloney could fight out the finish with Dromineer and Midnight Coup but possibly the best bet of the day could be Sea Leopard in the following mile handicap.

This one won over the course and distance on Tuesday when running out a comfortable winner from Anna Elise and Willyever. Before that Sea Leopard landed the spoils at Cork when giving Rooftop a three length beating.

The easy Cork winner Leixlip Belle has to be respected but Sea Leopard looks to have enough still in hand to complete a hat-trick.

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Dromineer was an impressive scorer at Tipperary last week and should be in peak form for the £12,000 feature. However, the hike up to two miles could get Midnight Coup back on the winning trail.

A Sligo and Gowran winner, Midnight Coup stepped back to 12 furlongs last time out at Clonmel when third to Island Doy. It was still a good effort but the emphasis on stamina can swing it Midnight Coup's way.

With the ground riding on the fast side, it may be worth taking a chance with Grimshaw in the Waterford Crystal Handicap Hurdle.

A winner on the flat in England, Grimshaw broke his hurdling duck for Thomond O'Mara in good style at Clonmel and there wasn't much wrong with his third to Abuhail and Shvera at Bellewstown at the start of the month. Noel Meade's Roscommon winner Lismeenan looks the main danger

After successfully landing a gamble at Wexford in a bumper last week, Charles Byrnes' Beacon Lane will be a popular choice to follow up in the Kerry Water Handicap Hurdle.

Beacon Lane's chance is clear but on balance, possibly Dante's Moon is a better choice. Ruby Walsh's ride flopped at Bellewstown but it's worth forgiving that considering his previous effort at Tralee when he had Oranbay, Savu Sea and Crystal Springs behind him when runner up to Native Wit.

Conor O'Dwyer and Arthur Moore look to provide the solution to the opener with Double Account, an odds on winner at Navan in May, while Paircin looks to be the value option in the bumper.

Dermot Weld sends the Slip Anchor filly Replenish Power for the 11 furlong maiden and although she has two lengths to make up on Notional on Naas form behind Rominten, Replenish Power looks to have improvement in her.

Meanwhile, the brilliant July Cup winner Stravinsky could have his next race in York's Nunthorpe Stakes next month.

After his dazzling four length victory at Newmarket last week, Stravinsky's name stands out among the entries that were announced for the Nunthorpe yesterday.

Despite the race being run over the minimum distance of five furlongs, Aidan O'Brien said: "Stravinsky is being considered for the Nunthorpe and he is a possible runner in it."

The Nureyev colt earned favourable comparisons with past sprint stars such as Dayjur and Lake Coniston after bouncing back to winning form at Newmarket when equipped with a visor for the first time.

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor

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