TO BE

In form Murtagh’s charge is ready to lead the Parade

AZTEC PARADE should continue trainer Johnny Murtagh’s rich vein of form in today’s finale in Leopardstown, the Irish Stallion Farms Median Auction maiden. With 19 wins on the board, Murtagh is enjoying a tremendous season. And Aztec Parade, a gelded son of Anjaal, has been found a straightforward opportunity to open his account at the third attempt.

Murtagh’s charge made his belated racecourse debut at this venue last month and, slow into stride, ran creditably in chasing home the Aidan O’brien-trained, subsequent Curragh winner, Napa Valley – with Bolivar – which went on to bolt-up in a Roscommon maiden back in fifth.

Aztec Parade went to Naas 10 days later and, holding every chance, drifted left in the closing stages before being pipped on the post by 88-rated favourite Edward Hopper.

The selection, with in-form Ben Coen in the saddle, looks more than capable of a maiden success and faces modest enough opposition here, with the Tom Mullins-trained Loved Out his biggest threat.

In the fillies equivalent, Joseph O’brien’s Gin Blossom, sporting cheekpieces for the first time, is expected to reverse Tipperary form with Koola Buala.

Runner-up twice as a juvenile, including a solid run behind Irish

Oaks candidate Lemista, 79-rated Gin Blossom missed the kick and came from well off the pace to finish fifth to Sunday Sweet at Tipperary. She should strip fitter today and gets the nod.

The featured Nijinsky

Stakes looks wide open. Joseph O’brien is responsible for three of the seven runners, including seasonal debutant Degraves, winner of the Group 3

Eyrefield on this track last autumn, while Aidan runs two, Wayne Lordan’s mount Delphi, chasing a hat-trick, and course maiden winner Numen.

The emphasis will be on stamina. And Numen, a son of Galileo, displayed plenty of stamina when landing his maiden, sweeping through late to slam the admittedly disappointing Lough Cutra.

He’s stepping-up in trip here and open to plenty of improvement. And, although Wayne Lordan, inset, has opted to partner Delphi, I expect Numen to figure prominently. The Joseph O’brien-trained State Of Rest looked a decent sort when beating the subsequently disappointing Giorgio Vasari on his debut in Fairyhouse and will be a major fancy for the opening two-year-old event.

But he faces a tough task, shouldering 10-0 and conceding a whopping 13lb to Noel Meade’s filly Elysium, successful on her second start in Navan, form boosted by the impressive win of fourth-placed Muss Amulet in Cork.