HERMOSA QUINN IT TO WIN IT

WELL-DRAWN Hermosa, a huge eye-catcher on her debut at the Curragh, should be tough to beat in the Colm Quinn BMW Irish EBF Fillies 2-Y-0 Maiden in Galway.

The Aidan O’brien-trained

Galileo filly, a full-sister to Hydrangea, attracted plenty of support ahead of her debut at the Curragh four weeks ago and, having encountered traffic problems, shaped like a certain future winner in finishing fourth, beaten little more than three lengths.

That was a very solid effort when you consider she had to be switched twice in the last furlong and a half.

But she finished well and looks sure to improve plenty from the experience.

The Ballydoyle filly should have no problem with ground conditions in Ballybrit. She’s drawn in stall one, another massive plus over seven furlongs here.

And my only reservation about her prospects is the fact that some of the O’brien team are running below par at the moment.

That fear aside, Hermosa should open her account, at the expense of Dermot Weld’s debutante Tarnawa (which runs in preference to Lightning Amber, third in Hermosa’s Curragh maiden) and the Jessica Harrington-trained Pleasurable, which enjoyed little luck in running in that same race at headquarters.

The Ger Lyons-trained Would Be King, placed in six of his seven starts, the only exception being the Irish 2,000 Guineas, boasts a rating of 98 which should make him a ‘good thing’ in any maiden.

But, beaten by Indianapolis at Dundalk last time, he has become expensive to follow. And I’ll oppose him in the Caulfield Industries Maiden with the Dermot Weld-trained newcomer Dabiyr.