TERRIFIC TITHONUS
Hogan’s star can land the Lincoln
DENIS HOGAN’S Tithonus looks the answer to the €100,000 Tote Irish Lincoln, which headlines today’s opening fixture of the 2017 Irish Flat season.
The ground is likely to be quite testing, but that is unlikely to be a problem for the much improved Tithonus.
This gelding made impressive progress through the ranks last season when he notched up a series of handicap victories between five and seven furlongs.
One of those successes came in a valuable premier handicap at the Curragh, so he is more than good enough to hold his own at this level.
Furthermore, the step up to a mile will not be a problem for a horse who has previously been placed in maiden hurdles.
Aussie Valentine has filled the runner-up spot in this race for the last two years and he looks a likely contender once again, while Sikandarabad was only narrowly beaten in last year’s Irish Cambridgeshire.
In the Group 3 Park Express Stakes, the Aidan O’brien-trained Somehow is the class act in the field.
Her impressive Group 3 success last August is the best piece of form on show and she has plenty to spare on official figures.
However, her yard hasn’t won this race since 2005 so a value alternative could be Flying Fairies.
This filly progressed well throughout last season and she ended 2016 on a high by landing the Trigo Stakes at Leopardstown.
The form she showed that day would indicate that she should be up to holding her own in this company.
In the sprint handicap, Mizaah makes plenty of appeal. He is a winner over this trip on soft ground and he showed good handicap form last season.
His trainer Kevin Prendergast might also land the two-year-old maiden with Moonlight Bay.
In the six-furlong maiden, Invincible Ryker is put forward having showing up well on heavy ground at this track last October.
The concluding maiden could see Inca Gold strike for Aidan O’brien who fields three runners in the race.