HE HAS NO MATCH

Colt is ready to strike for O’brien

MATCHLESS, a promising fourth on his recent debut in Tipperary, should get punters off to a winning start as flat racing features at the 2020 Listowel Festival for the first time.

Aidan O’brien has sent plenty of smart two-yearolds to the North Kerry venue in recent seasons, most recently Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby winner Santiago – who scored here last year.

On the evidence of his debut effort, Matchless, a full-brother to the progressive Delphi, has the potential to make his mark in stakes company.

On his debut in Tipperary, the Galileo colt raced close to the pace, was unable to get on terms with the leaders up the straight but, when switched, stayed on in encouraging style to finish a creditable fourth behind two potentially high-class rivals, Toshizou and Baseman.

The Ballydoyle colt will know more about the job today. And, from stall three, I expect Seamus Heffernan to let him roll along in front and prove very tough to pass.

Today ’s feature, the listed Edmund & Josie Whelan Memorial Listowel Stakes affords J e s s i c a H a r r i n g t o n’s tough and consistent four -year -old Njord a go o d opp or tunity to strike in stakes company.

This fellow has shot up the ratings, but he’s been unlucky in a succession of premier handicaps this summer.

Pipped on the line by Saltonstall in the Colm Quinn BMW Mile in Galway, he ran into traffic problems when failing to catch Current Option in the Ahonoora five days later.

Last time, he again encountered trouble in running before finishing fifth to Laughifuwant in the Irish Cambridgeshire.

He mu st c o n c e d e weight to his 10 rivals, all three-year-olds. And I expect him to get his head in front.

The Ballydoyle runner Keats, although disappointing last time, and Dermot Weld’s filly Kassaba , winner of a Na a s mai d en b efore finishing third to Lovelier in a listed event in Killarney, might follow Njord home.