Fran Berry: 30 Irish horses to follow on the Flat once racing gets back under way

Here are 30 horses to follow on the Flat in Ireland once racing resumes. They’re grouped by yard and I’ve tried to stay away from anything too obvious. I’ve put them in my My Stable tracker so I don’t miss them - make sure you do the same!

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Jim Bolger

Daylight Come – A son of Dawn Approach, he made a very promising debut at Naas in September when beaten half a length. The second, Now The King, went onto win and Daylight Come looked a nice prospect in behind him as he had a bad draw and was only just run out of it after being green.

Fiscal Rules – He was beaten a head by Wichita on his only start to date over seven furlongs at the Curragh in late August. A son of Make Believe, he hasn’t been seen since but holds entries in various big races like the Guineas. He looks a sure-fire maiden winner and a high-class prospect in the making.

Moments Linger – She could have a good handicap mark by accident. She’s a three-year-old daughter of Dawn Approach and wasn’t beaten far on debut at Dundalk, where she was beaten by Ickworth, who also beat her in a Listed race at the Curragh on her last start. Rated 84, she’s got an entry in the Irish 1000 Guineas, so it will be interesting to see the route she goes.

Ten Year Ticket – He’s by Rock Of Gibraltar and won at a big price on debut at the Curragh, beating Tiger Moth, and he looks a smart prospect going forward. The fact he’s a gelding means he won’t be campaigned down the obvious races and he should be able to make hay on the back of that debut win.

Mick Halford

Ridenza – This Sea The Stars filly made a very taking debut win over seven furlongs at Leopardstown. She was drawn in stall 12 that day, a very tough draw to overcome on debut at that trip on that track, but she jumped out well, travelled with purpose and worked her way into the race well. I’d say she won very snugly under a hands and heels ride and the second home, Tasalka, is rated 89 after getting beaten a short head in a maiden afterwards. Mick Halford’s horses tend to improve with experience, so she can be marked up for what was already a very good victory. She’s a high-class prospect.

Jessica Harrington

Aesop – This son of Make Believe looks a sure-fire improver off a mark of 75. He’s from a high-class family and is a half-brother to Youmzain and Creachadoir who won at various trips and improved with age. This horse in particular looks like he’s crying out to be stepped up in distance and there were definite hints of promise in his runs as a juvenile, while he’s yet to race on better ground which is another potential source of improvement. He’ll be of major interest stepping up to 10-furlongs and further.

One Voice – Jessica Harrington has an army of high-class three-year-old fillies including Albigna, Alpine Star, Cayenne Pepper and Millisle. However, one that might’ve slipped through the net is One Voice. The maiden she won at Leopardstown on July 25 has worked out brilliantly with several in behind winning since; the second, Auxilia, won her next race by five lengths, the fourth, Camachita, got black type and won afterwards, the fifth, Chrysalism, won also, the sixth, Silver Spear, won, the seventh, Point Reyes won, it’s really hot form. Her jockey, Shane Foley, reckons she’s done well over the winter and it’s worth remembering how easily she won that hot race last summer.

Ger Lyons

Heliac – It will be interesting how Ger Lyons campaigns his stable star Siskin this year, whether he’s a sprinter or a miler we don’t yet know. But in the same Prince Khalid Abdullah colours watch out for the stable’s Heliac, a four-year-old daughter of Champs Elysees. She’s had six starts, three wins and all of her victories have been over 10 furlongs. Her last win came off 86 at Dundalk in a deep handicap against some tough older campaigners and she found plenty for pressure. The fact that she’s been kept in training says a lot – she was a weak, immature filly that looks sure to have improved with another winter under her belt. She’s crying out to step up to 1m4f and there could be loads of improvement to come from her. Off 91 there’ll be an opportunity in a handicap before she steps up to stakes company.

Jan Wellens – In the Mustajeer colours look out for Jan Wellens. He had three runs in 15 days as a two-year-old last October and he’s got a handicap mark of 59. In his third run there was a definite hint of ability when he was eight of 16 at Leopardstown. He was off the bridle a long way out and he ran on nicely into mid division. He was beaten 13 lengths but, off that lowly opening mark, he’s definitely a horse to keep on the right side of in handicap company.

Willie McCreery

Up Helly Aa – He’s out of Fiesolana who won a Matron Stakes for his trainer, Willie McCreery. He’s taken time to come to hand, he’s a four-year-old and only made his track debut last summer, but he’s progressed quickly. He was second to Mohawk in the Group Three Meld Stakes and then won a Listed race at Cork nicely on his final start at three. That was over a mile and he’s a strong-travelling horse that does things well, but you’ll have to imagine he’ll be stepping up in class and trip when racing resumes. He could be an ideal horse for something like the Wolferton at Royal Ascot, if it’s on this year, but wherever he goes he’s an exciting horse for the stable.

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Johnny Murtagh

Know It All – She’s a filly by Lord Kanaloa, which is interesting breeding. He’s a Japanese sire and won in Hong Kong, while he was Japanese horse of the year – he only got better with age and he’s the sire of Almond Eye. Know It All won a winners’ race at the Curragh on her second start, but it was her run behind New York Girl in a Group Three on her final start at two that confirmed her as a high-class prospect. She travelled strongly throughout in a handy position but took it up a long way from home on testing ground. Inside the furlong pole she was a couple of lengths clear but she got tired and was run down to be beaten a neck and half a length. I think she was the best filly in the race, it was just the way it was run left her vulnerable to closers. She looks smart and there’s more to come from her.

Johnny Murtagh says: "She’s done well physically over the winter. The big question is whether she is a six-furlong filly or a miler? I’m not convinced either way yet, her sire was champion sprinter in Japan but he also won over a mile and this filly travelled well over seven last year. We could go either way but I’m happy with her."

Siamese – Another potentially smart filly for Qatar Racing. She made a very nice debut in September when she was fourth in a well-contested fillies’ maiden at Naas and then she backed that up nine days later at Dundalk with a win. It was again over seven and she was quite green early on, giving away a good stall in stall one which meant she came wide of the field. She really extended in the last furlong and was very strong at the line. The second Music To My Ears went on to win her next start and, being by Kitten’s Joy, you would think she’ll improve as she steps up in trip as the year goes on.

Johnny Murtagh says: "She’s done very well for her time off. She’s a big, scopey filly who is going to be at her best over 10 furlongs or even further perhaps. The couple of quiet weeks without racing has really done her good, she’s come into her coat, and she’ll be targeted at trials and higher-class races when we start again."

Springbank – He’s a very well-bred Galileo. His dam was a multiple Group Three-winning mare and if you go back to his first start at the Curragh, where he was a two lengths third to Wichita, he has the look of a very well handicapped horse off a mark of 78. His next two starts were on heavy and he didn’t run badly on his last start at Leopardstown, where he was beaten nine lengths by Celtic High King. He’s bred to improve with age, he’s a full brother to Expressionism who won over 1m4f, and given the promise he showed on his debut he’s worth following in middle-distance handicaps.

Aidan O’Brien

Darkest – She ran an interesting race at Naas behind stablemate and 2/1 favourite Love Locket on her last start at two and could be very well-handicapped off 78 on that evidence. A Dark Angel filly that’s had four runs, she’s a sister to Sovereign Debt who didn’t win as a two-year-old and you’d expect plenty of improvement from her over sprint distances this season.

Emerald Green – This Galileo filly made her debut in mid-September over seven furlongs at Naas and she finished seventh behind stablemate Fancy Blue. She was green early and had to be switched two or three times, got hampered on two occasions and ran on nicely in the last 200 yards when finally getting a bit of racing room. She’s a nice prospect.

Ennistymon – She’s another Galileo filly, out of Lahinch, and from a decent family. She made her debut at the Curragh on Derby weekend in June when beaten 10 lengths in seventh by Windracer. That doesn’t tell the whole story. If you watch the replay she was held up on the far rail and had a lot of dead wood in front of her, which meant she got checked for the best part of a furlong and a half. She didn’t get out until the race was over and you can massively upgrade her run.

Tiger Moth – He’s a Galileo colt and a brother to Coach House. He has Derby entries and he was third on debut, not beaten far, in a Curragh maiden over seven furlongs in October. He was very green in amongst horses and the front two got away. When he switched to the stands’ side he stayed on really strongly. You’d imagine he’d come on a lot for that and the second horse in that race, Lough Cutra, was only just beaten at Naas in a very strong maiden subsequently.

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Joseph O’Brien

Big Call - I’d always be inclined to give a horse of his who wins first time out a huge upgrade as they tend to be green and learning their job. If they win on debut they tend to be start. A horse who fits that bill is Big Call who win at Limerick at the back-end of the year having missed the start. He had 10 or 12 horses in front of him own the relatively short home straight there but when he was asked for his effort he picked up really well to win by three lengths. The second horse, Hong Kong, has a rating of around 90 for the Ballydoyle team and gives the form a strong look. The ground was very testing but I loved the way he did it and he’s a very promising son of American Pharoah.

Buckhurst - Among the older horses I’m mad about Buckhurst. We haven’t seen the best of him yet, he’s been minded by Joseph, and beat Sir Dragonet at the Curragh in August. He’s won three of his six starts and finished second to Norway in a Group Three on his final start. That was run on the inside track at Leopardstown and he had to work hard all the way round on the outside of the field and you can upgrade that run. There’s definitely more to come from him.

Crossfirehurricane – He has won his three starts to date, the last two at Dundalk. He’s a son of Kitten’s Joy who is already a Listed winner and there should be more to come as he goes up in trip on good ground. But given the year it is if there’s more polytrack racing that would very much suit him too.

Degraves - Of the obvious ones Degraves won the Group Three Eyrefield Stakes at Leopardstown in the autumn. He beat Justifier very well there despite a winning distance of half-a-length. He travelled into it like the best horse and quickened three lengths clear only to either idle in front or tire. I really liked the way initially went clear and he’s a son of Camelot to keep on your side. In a normal year he’d have been the sort to turn up in a Ballysax or Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial in the spring.

King’s Vow - Of the older handicappers King’s Vow has done well on the all-weather this winter since being stepped up in trip and has a rating of 97 now. He did run in the Melrose at York last season and the ground was probably a tad quick for him. His two polytrack wins over two miles were quite impressive and he could be an Ascot Stakes type of horse.

Millswyn - You usually don’t like putting up horses that don’t win at three but I do like Millswyn. He’s a potential improver with a mark on the Flat of 88. He’s the sort for premier handicaps this term having beat Il Paradiso in a juvenile maiden at Gowran and while he didn’t win at three he ran some good races in defeat. He tends to wear blinkers and cheekpieces and only ran once at a trip in excess of a mile-and-a-half. After three quick runs over hurdles, he looked unlucky back on the flat at Dundalk last time, and remains a handicapper with a bit of upside.

New York Girl - She finished fourth behind Passion in a Cork maiden that is working out really well and went on to win the Group Three Weld Park Stakes over seven furlongs at the Curragh. The fact she was able to win a race like that on only her second start says it all really and she holds Classic entries.

Thames River - With the yard’s two-year-olds generally taking their time they tend to target Dundalk at the back-end of the year and one horse who won very nicely there in October was Thames River. He’s only going to keep improving at three.

Vultan – He made his debut on the last day of the grass season in November over a mile at Naas. He got hampered out of the gates and was near last turning in. It was a 17-runner field and despite getting switched two or three times he ran on very promisingly in the last furlong to be seventh, only beaten four lengths.

Dermot Weld

Desert Highway - Dermot has a number of unraced horses with Classic entries and one that stands out on pedigree is Desert Highway. He’s in the Guineas and is by Dubawi from a very good Moyglare family. He’s one to keep an eye on.

Caldwell - Another is the Juddmonte-owned Caldwell who was in the Investec Derby at Epsom. He’s another to stick in your trackers ahead of the resumption.

Emiyn - A sure-fire maiden winner for the yard is Emiyn. He ran a lovely race at the only turf meeting held this year at Naas. It looked a well-contested race and he had a wide draw and travelled extremely well into the race. On a day when the yard had three of four strongly fancied runners, he was the only one to run well. He holds an Irish Guineas entry which is a nod to the esteem he’s held in at home.

Shekhem - Of the younger generation a colt to keep on your side is Shekhem. He belongs to the Aga Khan and ran a huge race to finish second in the Beresford Stakes in the autumn. He ran with the choke out on the round mile track there, which is downhill all the way, and was still only caught late on by Inch Free. He’d previously won a maiden at Listowel nicely and he’s one to have on your side in the better races moving forward.

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