MICHAEL KAUNTZE, who signs off at the end of the flat season, may provide the answer to this evening's Heineken Handicap at Bellewstown in the shape of Dance Academy, a course and distance winner.
The daughter of Royal Academy has had only the one run this season, finishing 11th of the 14 runners in a premier handicap behind Ilanga at the Curragh last Saturday, and she seems sure to improve.
Dance Academy, successful twice last year, would be an appropriate winner for the Ashbourne trainer as she is owned by Mitsuo Haga, whose great filly, Kooyonga, provided Kauntze with some of his most important successes.
The Hamdan Al Maktoum owned juvenile Chaghaf is not opposed in the Sahllon EBF Maiden. The son of Night Shift made a pleasing debut at the Curragh in June when fourth behind Mosconi and may just get the better of Jim Bolger's Dream Project.
Rahan Bridge should lose his maiden tag in the Sam Dennighan And Co Maiden Hurdle. The former Tony Martin trained gelding has not run since disappointing behind Tommy Paud in a Listowel handicap hurdle last April.
However, he has shown he possesses plenty of ability and Clane trainer Peter McCreery may produce him spot on for tonight's race.
. Efforts are already being made to ensure the best of going for the Killarney Festival which begins on July 15th. Course manager Michael Doyle reported yesterday that they had started watering the course.
"While we have had some showers over the last while, they have been too light to make a real difference to the ground so we took the decision to water from today to make sure the track is kept in the best of order for our four day meeting," said Doyle.
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/YVIRIOZQ35EWRPZXR27KGMO6YU.png)