Keanes Stake their Naas

CONDITIONS IN HIS FAVOUR Laughifuwant, blue silks

TOUGH and consistent Laughifuwant will make a bold bid to make his stakes-race breakthrough for the Keanes, Colin and his dad Gerry, in the listed Glencairn Stakes in Naas tomorrow.

The five-year-old, winner of two premier handicaps, has finished in the money four times in stakes company. And, although he has a bit to find with Saltonstall on figures, he has obvious claims.

Last year, Laughifuwant won the Ahonoora at Galway and ended his campaign with placed efforts in the Navigation at Cork and the Knockaire at Leopardstown.

Hi s 2 0 2 0 c a mpa i g n started belatedly, in the Ahonoora, before he landed the Irish Cambridgeshire at the Curragh off a mark of 100, beating Quizical, with subsequent Balmoral Handicap winner Njord in fifth.

Laughifuwant was tried at Group 3 level, in the Concorde at Tipperary, and was pipped on the line by Current Option.

He ran another cracker – sent off 5/4 favourite – in the Knockaire at Leopardstown, going down by a half-length to Surrounding.

Rated 106, Laughifuwant will have conditions in his favour again tomorrow, a mile on soft ground, with a low draw. And he gets the vote to foil the Ado Mcguinness-trained Saltonstall, raised 9lb (to mark of 11) for a convincing defeat of In From The Cold and subsequent winner Dance Jupiter in a Limerick handicap last time.

Although largely disappointing since her third to Peaceful in the Irish 1,000 Guineas and a fourth to Alpine Star in the Coronation at Royal Ascot, Aidan O’ Brien’s 103-rat ed S o Wonderful might prove best in the featured Group 3 Athasi Stakes.

This War Front filly got off the mark, at the 15th attempt, in a Curragh maiden in August before going on to take the listed Ruby Stakes in Killarney at the expense of Up Helly Aa.

Back up to Group 1 level, she was beaten less than six lengths in seventh spot behind Champers Elysess, Peaceful and Fancy Blue and will relish this drop in class.

Although probably not straight-forward, So Wonderful should go close in an ultra-competitive event.

I like Investec Derby winner Serpentine’s fullbrother King Of The Castle, despite a high draw, in the one-mile Irish Stallion Farms 2-Y-0 Maiden.

This fellow showed clear signs of inexperience on his debut at Gowran Park, but made eye-catching late headway to finish fourth to better-fancied stable-companion Roman Empire.

Significant improvement is expected. And the Galileo colt is napped to beat Team Of Firsts and Dublin Journal.

Metaphorical shaped like a future winner when third to stable-companion Sandhurst in Gowran Park. But in the belief he might struggle with the drop back to six furlongs, I prefer 98-rated filly Giuliana in the opener.