DERBY POINTERS AT SHELBOURNE PARK

THE opening heats in the 2018 BoyleSports Irish Derby will be run on Friday week and tonight’s session at Shelbourne will provide some very interesting pointers to the classic prospects.

Kieran Lynch’s Irish Independent Laurels champion Rockybay Foley will have a preracing trial while two races in particular will be informative. In the Derby Trial Stake Slippy Cian (9.57) will likely be the favourite and can show the way to Swithins Brae and Packing Heat.

The concluding Getting Out 550 promises to be a thriller and Pat Guilfoyle’s Magical Logan (10.27) is expected to make amends for last week’s nightmare run. He will need a rapid start to get the better of Crossfield Will and Lenson Blinder.

The Thurles Fresh Milk Tipperary Cup is traditionally one of the top events in the provinces and the €8,000 prize this evening will see Declan Byrne’s veteran Crohane Ronnie (10.17) bidding to repeat last year;s success.

He ran a blinder in the semifinal last week when looking as good as ever but can he repeat that performance this time to get the better of Michael O’Donovan’s Skywalker Rafa. It will be close but Rafa may grab the early advantage and that should suffice.

The second round of the Red Mills Unraced will be run at Curraheen with Newinn Lester (8.20) looking banker material, particularly in the absence of the off-colour Brave Ark.