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Naas hosts an eight-race card on Tuesday evening which features a pair of Listed contests. The Arqana Irish EBF Marwell Stakes at 5.15 gives the two-year-old fillies their chance to shine before the Yeomanstown Stud Irish EBF Stakes takes place at 6.20.
The card kicks off at 4.45 with the 5f Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden and Edwardian really should take some stopping for the formidable Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore combination. The No Nay Never colt showed bundles of promise when runner-up to a subsequent Listed winner on debut at Tipperary and will likely prove a warm order to go one better here.
Storm Miami heads the market for the 5f Arqana Irish EBF Marwell Stakes (5.15) following a commanding course and distance debut success. The Ger Lyons-trained filly obviously demands the utmost respect, but the eye is drawn to the Aidan O'Brien pair. It's interesting that Ryan Moore is booked to ride Cherry Blossom over Brighter, with whom he partnered to deliver a debut victory at Dundalk in April. The former is a half-sister to some smart winners and must be showing up well at home to be pitched into this company for her first racecourse appearance. The latter needs to be included having displayed a good attitude when getting off the mark at Dundalk, while Tiger Belle should be on the premises following a fair fourth-place finish in a five-furlong Listed event at Tipperary.
The 6f Sean Barrett Bloodstock Insurances Ltd Handicap (5.45) looks fiercely competitive. Both The Snapper and Little Queenie need respect following their last-start victories, but slender preference goes the way of fellow last-time-out scorer Livingston Range. A 9lb rise in the weights for his recent course and distance success looks a tad harsh on the face of it, but he did win snugly and may yet have more to offer with the first-time blinkers worn that day retained.
The 6f Yeomanstown Stud Irish EBF Stakes (6.20) for three-year-olds and upward fillies and mares looks like a wide-open renewal with eleven going to post. There's little to separate the main protagonists on official ratings, but the lightly-raced Lady Onyx could come out on top. Johnny Murtagh's filly won on debut in fairly testing conditions, so there should be no issues with ground conditions here and she arguably travelled best before fading into third in Listed company at Carlisle last time. That effort came over seven furlongs and it's easy to see why connections have opted to drop back to six. An official mark of 99 puts her right in the picture and she's also the contender that's open to the most improvement. Likely dangers include UK-raider Radio Goo Goo, who was only beaten three lengths when seventh behind Swingalong in the Group 3 Summer Stakes at York and Aussie Girl, who ran her best race to date when runner-up in an ultra-competitive Curragh handicap four days ago.
Three handicaps and a conditions event remain for the latter half of the card. A chance is taken on the unexposed Boomerang Bill in Division 1 of the 1m O'Neill & Co. Apprentice Handicap with talented apprentice Jamie Powell booked. Division 2 looks just as competitive, but Simply Sideways has been knocking on the door of late and should go well off the same mark as when fourth at Bellewstown 20 days ago.
The 7f Hurling For Cancer Moves To Netwatch Cullen PK Carlow August 21st Race at 8.00 features some classy types and Carrytheone may take some stopping. The useful son of Lope De Vega fared best of those held up in a Listed contest at the Curragh last start and should be going very close on the ratings with a hood reapplied.
Facethepuckout produced a credible third over a mile at this course on his last start and gets the nod eased in trip in the concluding 7f Bert House Stud Handicap at 8.30.
RACING & SPORTS SELECTIONS
RACE 1 – EDWARDIAN
RACE 2 – CHERRY BLOSSOM
RACE 3 – LIVINGSTON RANGE
RACE 4 – LADY ONYX
RACE 5 – BOOMERANG BILL
RACE 6 – SIMPLY SIDEWAYS
RACE 7 - FACETHEPUCKOUT