IT’S HIS TIME

LYONS’ CLOCK SET TO STRIKE IN OPENER

A debut winner over course and distance last month, It’s Two O Clock must be fancied to follow-up in the four-runner nursery which opens tonight’s eight-race card in Dundalk.

Ironically, Ger Lyons has booked nine-times champion Pat Smullen, inset, to replace champion jockey Colin Keane (who is serving a one-day whip suspension) to ride the gelded son of Raven’s Pass.

It’s Two O Clock was heavily-punted ahead of his debut in early November. And, confidently handled by Keane, he travelled into contention smoothly before being shakenup and eased clear to triumph by two and a half lengths.

He was value for more than the winning margin and like all Lyons-trained juveniles, is open to plenty of improvement. And he’ll have to step forward as the horse he beat Khwarizmi, which went on to win his maiden last time, is now 15lb better off.

Ger Lyons runs two in the Happy Christmas From

All At Dundalk

Maiden. And I expect Dhafeera, narrowly beaten in both starts, to make a bold bid to open her account.

Beaten a neck by Massa Lubrense over seven furlongs on debut, the Shamardal filly then failed by a similar margin to Pivotal Connection ( fancied on handicap debut, off 68, in tonight’s finale) in a mile maiden.

Although rated 3lb inferior to stable-companion Kiss The Wind, Dhafeera makes plenty of appeal and, with champion apprentice Oisin Orr on board, should go close. In the handicap action, Keith Clarke’s Timia might defy her welter burden of 10-5 (reduced by Ben Coen’s 7lb claim) and complete a polytrack hat-trick in the Crowne Plaza Race & Stay Handicap.

Meanwhile, the Grade 1 Ryanair Hurdle, at Leopardstown on Friday, December 29, looks like being a non-event with Faugheen heading the list of just six acceptors and already a red-hot 1/5 favourite with Paddy Power.

Faugheen, the 2015 Champion Hurdler, was ultra-impressive on his comeback in the Morgiana at Punchestown last month, the race which, in 2015, saw his only defeat over hurdles – he has won 12 of his 13 starts over timber.