Coliseum to get off mark

Aidan O'Brien started the flat season with a double at the Curragh last weekend but, crucially, the 2,000 Guineas hope Stravinsky was turned over. Today, at the start of Cork's Easter meet, he takes the wraps off another classic prospect in Coliseum, and it will be a shock if this colt is beaten.

A £5,000 maiden over nine furlongs is hardly the most auspicious of beginnings for a possible Derby horse but it should allow Coliseum to finally put his head in front after four decent efforts in 1998.

Runner-up placings at the Curragh and York were followed by another second to Mus-If in the National Stakes. Finally, he was not suited by the ground when fourth in Longchamp's Grand Criterium, but the sum of the efforts was enough to earn him a 110 in the International Classifications.

That should be more than enough in today's context, and with Coliseum having reportedly thrived during the winter and with O'Brien thinking of a tilt at the Derrinstown Trial, followed by a Derby, he is clearly highly rated.

"He has been doing everything right at home and hopefully we will thinking of better races in future," said O'Brien yesterday.

The Ballydoyle trainer also has a high opinion of the Danehill filly, Carambola, who also goes in a maiden following her disappointing first effort on the track last year.

"She was very green that day and things didn't go right for her. We thought she was a nice filly then, and she has been working like a nice filly since," O'Brien added.

On the National Hunt side of things today, the feature is the £20,000 Murphys Handicap Hurdle, which could be the centrepiece of a good day for Willie Mullins.

A winner at Wexford and Limerick in October, Bob Cullen has found things tougher since, but he didn't run at all badly at Fairyhouse in February when third to Almira, and Mullins is sure to have had this valuable pot in mind for him since.

Mullins and Ruby Walsh will surely be also fancying their chances in the opening beginners' chase, where the Navan runner-up Kings Return is difficult to oppose; and the hitherto frustrating Khal Dante may finally get his head in front in the bumper.

There is another mixed card on offer tomorrow when there is another £20,000 jump race feature, this time the £20,000 Heineken Novice Chase.

The word novice in the race title will be a relatively new experience for Andrew McNamara's horse, Glin Castle, but the education he has picked up in handicaps can leave him in good stead here.

An interesting race in relation to this came at Fairyhouse in November when Inis Cara beat Foxchapel King by half a length, with Glin Castle only fifth. Since then, Glin Castle, a winner here and at Listowel, has been campaigning in handicaps and acquitting himself well too, especially when fourth in the Thyestes.

Considering that Foxchapel King's jumping can be shaky, so much so that a tilt at the Irish National has been ruled out, and that Inis Cara has had trouble actually winning in recent races, the hardy Glin Castle could be the value.

O'Brien re-introduces some of his lesser lights tomorrow, and although Montego will have his followers in the opener, preference is for the in-form Kevin Prendergast yard and Moonis, a runner-up to Mitchigan in a decent Curragh maiden last year after a slow start.

Dermot Weld's top weight Fearsome Factor is the pick in the nine-furlong handicap, and Runaway Bishop will be hard to beat in the bumper.