OAKS FEVER HITS LIMERICK AS €7,500 SHOWPIECE BEGINS

Peter Farrell

The first major competition of the Limerick season gets underway later tonight as the €7,500-to-the-winner J.P. & Pauline Ryan Memorial Limerick Oaks begins, with five opening-round heats on the card.

Kindly sponsored by Mitchelstowndowns Construction, the opening heat underlines the depth of quality on show, with Lennies Madge seeking a return to winning ways. Trained by Paul Hennessy for Lee Craze, this talented bitch is a formidable performer at her peak and, while recent outings have been below her best, she remains a major contender if recapturing top form. A winner in 28.20 and 30.91 over 575 yards, the Justice Minister daughter goes to traps from six and, despite stiff opposition, is narrowly selected to come out on top. Her main threat is reigning Galway Oaks champion Badly Behaving. A brilliant winner of that showpiece, the Ballymac Cashout bitch boasts top-class credentials and will be well served by a favourable draw in red. A drop in class is clearly in her favour and it would be a surprise if the winner did not emerge from this leading pair.

Heat Watch

Heat two is another competitive affair, with preference given to Corona Ryan and Christopher Connolly-owned Beaming Zen. She has delivered a series of solid performances around Limerick in recent weeks and, while this represents her stiffest test to date, a good draw allied to valuable track experience could prove decisive. Youandme Babe is undoubtedly high-class on her day and is likely to head the market, but she remains winless since May and faces the additional challenge of her first race-night outing at the Dock Road circuit.

The third heat is one of the trickiest to assess, though Coolavanny Ogie earns a tentative nod as the sole former AAO runner in the line-up. Neilus O’Connell’s charge has faltered at traps in her last two starts at Tralee, but a repeat seems unlikely. The Jacob Tashadelek daughter has prior Limerick experience and, with a level break from trap four, can enter calculations. Magical Poppet brings significant competition experience and should be in the mix, while Pennylane Shooka is the improver of the field and is also expected to attract support.

Heat four sees two promising youngsters go head-to-head. While Kazankina is likely to start favourite, Rossa Abi can capitalise on a superb draw in trap one. From the respected Thomas O’Donovan kennel, the Tommy Shelby daughter has caught the eye in her early career and appears primed for a big run. Her pedigree is strong and her upward trajectory is clear. Kazankina, drawn six for Pat Guilfoyle, remains a major danger and is expected to progress significantly from her 19.23 trial.

The concluding heat can see Magical Hope add to an already impressive strike-rate. A winner of ten from twenty-four starts, she brings strong form into the contest, having mixed it with the best when competing in the recent Bernard Barry Christmas Oaks. This represents a step down in class for Pat Guilfoyle’s charge and anything close to her best should prove sufficient. Goodnightkathleen is an interesting contender with claims, while Burgess Bonnie arrives in good order following solid recent efforts at Clonmel and benefits from a favourable draw in red.