ATOL BE THE DAY WHEN I LET FLY

Curragh a big opportunity for classy The Mediterranean

HE has yet to add to the maiden success he recorded at Leopardstown four months ago but The Mediterranean might do so in the Raa Atoll Loughbrown Stakes at the Curragh today.

This Group 3 contest has attracted some smart sorts with the dual Irish St Leger heroine Search For A

Song an obvious contender.

However, she has yet to hit peak form this season and comes here with questions to answer after finishing a well held sixth in the

Irish St Leger.

Instead the vote goes to the Aidan O’Brien (inset) trained colt who is taken to make the most of his useful weight for age allowance.

This son of Galileo is a thorough stayer so he should relish moving up to two miles while he lines up off a series of cracking runs in defeat.

The most recent of those came in the English St Leger a fortnight ago when he finished an excellent third to Hurricane Lane.

If he runs to anything like that form he will surely take beating although it is a point of concern that he is turning out quickly after a tough race at Doncaster.

The day’s other pattern race contest can fall to Gavin Cromwell whose Sunset Shiraz sets a good standard in the Group 3 Weld Park Stakes. This filly has yet to win a race but her form is still the strongest on offer by some distance.

Over this course and distance last month she posted a cracking effort to chase home Agartha in the Debutante Stakes.

Then a fortnight ago she did even better when finishing third to Discoveries in the Moyglare Stud Stakes. If she can run to anything like that level she will succeed but she is facing some quality opponents.

Trevaunance is a formidable rival as she looked good when landing a decent looking fillies maiden at Cork recently.

Another with prospects of getting involved is Tranquil Lady who impressed with her maiden triumph at Galway earlier this month.

On an interesting day’s racing Strong Johnson can defy top weight in the William Hill Ireland Joe McGrath Handicap.

This pacy five-year-old was allowed to go off at 200/1 for the Group 1 Flying Five last time but didn’t run at all badly to finish seventh to Romantic Proposal.

If he could match that form back at this level of competition he will take beating and he has a good draw to aid his cause.

Elsewhere on the card My Eyes Adore You is hard to look past in the opener following a good debut second at Cork.

Ruling has shown up well against some decent types this season and he can take advantage of a good opportunity in the mile and a quarter maiden.