Pat Shanahan is on standby for Dermot Weld's Quality Team in Sunday's Italian Derby and the classic-winning jockey can get in the winning mood, courtesy of Tender Cove in this evening's juvenile auction race at Down Royal.
Shanahan rode the Con Collins-trained colt in the first race of the season when Tender Cove ran fourth to Modigliani and also when he ran a blinder to give the 1 to 3 shot Keats a fright at Cork a month ago.
In that light it was no surprise to see Tender Cove start favourite at Leopardstown last time, but he faded to a disappointing sixth behind Ascension.
That didn't look to be Tender Cove's form and, reunited with Shanahan, he is napped to beat Solar At'em, who comes out best of those who ran behind Resonate at Navan.
Shane Kelly takes the ride on Shabob in the apprentice maiden and this one is just preferred to Precedence and Winning Jenny; while the combination of Charlie Swan, JP McManus and Tommy Stack looks a compelling reason to side with Effusive in the handicap hurdle. Wonder Bell was slightly hampered inside the distance behind Golden Spice at Dundalk last time out, and with Michael Halford's string going well, the filly is the choice in the seven-furlong handicap.
