Messi can unlock the ‘dor again
DUAL course winner Messidor, one of three runners for Joseph O’brien, sets the standard in the listed Hollywoodbets
Patton Stakes in Dundalk tonight.
Last year, O’brien won the race with Crossfirehurricane, whose half-sister, the once-raced My Generation (the only maiden in the field), is a fascinating contender here.
But with a rating of 91 and expected to improve for the step to a mile, Declan Mcdonogh’s mount Messidor looks the pick in an eight-strong field, which includes seven course winners.
A daughter of Vendome, runner-up to Fly Girl on her debut at Leopardstown before being turned over at odds-on (behind a subsequent Group 3 winner), at Down Royal in September, Messidor opened her account in a seven-furlong maiden here in November.
She followed-up two weeks later, again over seven furlongs, when beating Hale Bopp convincingly.
My Generation caught the eye on her debut when third to Thrumps Dream here recently and is a potential threat in a field which also includes another stable-mate Lovely Esteem and Donnacha O’brien’s Zozimus, both rated 88.
Messidor’s stablecompanion Devil’s Outlaw, runner-up in each of his three starts and, most recently, outpointed by Patton candidate Benavente, is napped to open his account in the Hollywoodbets Racing & Sports Maiden, dropping to six furlongs and wearing first-time blinkers.
Meanwhile, Fairyhouse stages the first of five meetings added to the fixture list by HRI, an eightrace hurdle card.
And, despite a disappointing run over a longer trip here last time, I like Sean Flanagan’s mount Memory Of Youth, earlier second to subsequent winner Hilltop Supreme here, in a division of the 80-95 handicap hurdle.
Wexford manager Shane Roche is well aware that plans can change this
season