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Gowran Park preview
Dermot Weld
© Photo Healy Racing
Gowran stages the final fixture before Monday's Galway Festival and while the all-Flat card is low-key, the opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden has attracted most of the big names, including Dermot Weld.
Weld, perennial leading trainer at Galway, predictably sends just two runners to the Co Kilkenny venue, starting with Assam in the opener and ending with Flagstaff in the similarly-titled but later Irish Stallion Farms EBF (Fillies) Maiden.
Both might do well to win as in the curtain-raiser, Aidan O'Brien is represented by Bound Butterflies and Elizabeth Browning and each is likely to figure at the business end.
Also in attendance in the race is the David Wachman trained-Winter, third on debut at Naas, while Jim Bolger runs newcomer Legitimus who is from the family of Breeders´ Cup Classic winner Arcangues.
Trainer Peter Fahey has his horses in fine form at present and bids to add to his recent haul of eight winners in six weeks when his Queen Alphabet runs in the Like Gowran Park On Facebook Handicap.
The versatile mare was a winner on the Flat at Ballinrobe two starts ago and while beaten over hurdles at Killarney recently, is aided by Jack Kennedy's 3lb claim on the level.
The three-runner www.gowranpark.ie Median Auction Race is effectively a match between three-year-olds Tonkinese (rated 91) and Radiantly (100, but receiving 5lb).
Both have failed to add to their 2015 maiden wins, although Radiantly ran with great credit to fill fourth place in the Sandringham Handicap at Royal Ascot last month. Four-year-old Pretty Love is rated 51 and completes the trio.