Weld and Smullen the ones to follow

A crowd of up to 10,000 people is expected at Leopardstown this evening though whether the majority of them will be there for…

A crowd of up to 10,000 people is expected at Leopardstown this evening though whether the majority of them will be there for the featured Brownstown Stakes or the post race concert by Picture House is open to question.

A total of 4,000 tickets for the concert have already been sold and a spokesperson for Leopardstown said yesterday that "the phones are still hopping."

Such figures can only be good for the track with an inevitable overlap into the race-going attendance but those betting on the £25,000 Listed race will need their wits about them to unravel it successfully.

On the ratings, Crystal Downs, the Irish 1,000 Guineas fourth, comes out well ahead but the daughter of Alleged does seem to have a preference for cut in the ground and the partial going forecast of "good to firm where unwatered" doesn't seem to be in her favour.

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There is also the fact that she was something of a flop in the Epsom Oaks where she disappointed some quiet confidence in her chance with a distant third last to Ramruma. The unique track may have had something to do with that but Crystal Downs has won just the once in her career despite her obvious talent and may not be one to take too short a price on.

The rest of the nine strong field aren't separated by too much on the ratings. Castle Quest is consistent but has to concede weight, Maid Of Killeen hasn't run this season and Kinane has disregarded Pink Coral for Crystal Downs.

Dermot Weld's La Serina was a huge disappointment behind Desert Magic in a Curragh handicap last time but she was a very decent looking winner on good to firm at Tipperary before that. It looks worth betting that that Curragh effort was a once off and if the ground keeps drying out, La Serina could be a bit of value.

Another Weld-trained runner on something of a retrieval mission is Zilio who goes in the 10-furlong handicap. Zilio was one of the easiest winners of the year at Clonmel and when the runner-up in that contest subsequently won, it seemed that Zilio must have a major chance at the Curragh over the Derby weekend.

Once again Pat Smullen sent him straight into the lead but the well backed favourite folded before the turn in and tailed off behind Rainbows Forever. Again that looked too bad to be true and significantly a number of Weld-trained favourites disappointed that weekend.

There has been no repeat since and although Sunless, third to Polenka here on Saturday, has a chance, Zilio's stablemate Abaco split the three in the weekend race so Weld should know where he stands. One of the most interesting runners is Mystic Ridge, brought over here by Barney Curley to run in the mile handicap. This one broke the Brighton track record in May when winning a 0-60 in a canter.

Weld and Smullen are also the selection in the mile maiden with the Selkirk filly Generous Charmer.

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor

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