MICHAEL GRASSICK is, taken to land this evening's McDonogh Handicap with the lightly weighed Flaunt at the second day of the Galway Festival. The in form Curragh trainer won this ever competitive race 10 years ago with Alder Rose and, indeed his father, Christy, captured the second running in 1973 with Super Anna.
Flaunt has not won since losing his maiden certificate at Sligo 15 months ago. However, he ran the race of his life to finish a half length second behind Harghar in a premier handicap over a mile at the Curragh last month and at the weights would have been fancied to reverse that form with John Oxx's charge who because of a pending sale does not run. Harghar subsequently failed narrowly to make all the running in the Golden Pages Handicap at Leopardstown.
Lightly raced this season, Flaunt previously ran Megascene to a length at Leopardstown and that followed another good run when second behind Ger's Royale in a competitive Curragh handicap.
Sheffield is likely to start favourite on the strength of her half length second behind Predappio in a conditions race at Gowran Park last time out. The latter did well to finish second behind the Bolger trained ldris in Saturday's Group Three Meld Stakes at headquarters. Surprisingly, Bolger has yet to win the McDonogh Handicap though he went close last year with Al Mohaajir who met a tartar in Timarida.
Timarida was only the third three year old to win the McDonogh Handicap since its inception in 1972 but the consistent Sheffield is not aware of that statistic. Nor, indeed is the tough, Pro Trader, runner up to I'm Supposing in the Ulster Harp Derby and representing Dermot Weld who has won this evening's race with Bonnie Bess, Popular Glen, Committed Dancer and Saibot. Weld also runs Silvian Bliss.
Moonbi Range, who ran on well to finish fourth in the Golden Pages Handicap, has won over this course and appeals at the weights. Aidan O'Brien, who has yet to win this race, is also represented with the three year old Bold And Gorgeous but the year older Moonbi Range is preferred.
Kuwait Bay, a stable companion of Timarida, should run a big race but Flaunt should finish there or thereabouts and I nominate Moonbi Range as the danger.
