Panama Hat winning easily at Naas last time© Photo Healy Racing
Panama Hat has proved a star for Andy Oliver this summer and the prolific winner makes his return to action in the valuable Irish Stallion Farms EBF 'Red God' Handicap at Dundalk.
The Medicean gelding makes his first start since completing a four-timer at Naas last month, having been forced to miss an engagement at Galway due to unsuitable ground.
Oliver reports his charge in fine form and does not anticipate any problems with the all-weather surface.
The County Tyrone handler said: "He seems well and everything is well with him. He had some time off, firstly for a bit of a break but secondly because there weren't many races for him off his current rating.
"The last one was when he was declared in Galway, but the rain came. We've been waiting for better ground and this is the first opportunity.
"He wants quick ground so I don't foresee any issue with the surface. He ran there once at two but his two-year-old career didn't really get going, so we can't read anything into that. He has transformed since and is a progressive horse."
He will be faced by Topaz Mile winner Vastonea but trainer Kevin Prendergast is concerned that a 7lb rise for his Galway success may prove too much.
"He won well at Galway but he's gone up to a mark of 96, which he's never won off before, and he's tried a few times," said Prendergast.
"He shouldn't be able to win off it but we're putting Gary Halpin on again to take the 7lb off and we're hoping he'll run well.
"He's never ran at Dundalk before but we have a surface something like it at home and he seems to go on that, so we're hopeful he'll handle it."
Eddie Lynam is another who feels his charge may be high enough in the ratings as he saddles Dundalk regular Akasaka in the €50,000 contest.
The seven-year-old ran a cracker at the Curragh last month when narrowly going down to Hi Emperor but now runs off a mark 7lb higher back on the all-weather.
"He's got plenty of weight and I thought he might struggle, but he's in good form and he likes the track," said Lynam.
Navan maiden winner The Big Cat looks an interesting contender down at the bottom of the weights for John Oxx, while Donnacha O'Brien gets the leg up on Egyptian Warrior for his father Aidan.
