Hasanka poised to produce a surprise

The feature event in Ireland today is the Group Three Boss Croker Centenary Give Thanks Stakes at Cork where ground conditions could be a vital element. If the going isn't too bad, it would be in favour of the Downtown but soft conditions would see topweight Nick's Nikita in with a major chance of confirming course form here last June.

The fly in the ointment for both may be Hasanka who was looked upon as an Oaks possible by John Oxx before an underwhelming effort in April's Ballysax Stakes behind Mores Wells.

The main support event is the Listed Platinum Stakes and the versatile She's Our Mark can a prove to be a major player. The former Group Three winner Latino Magic is an interesting contender on just his second start for Dermot Weld while the Irish Guineas runner-up Dimenticata is a ratings stand out as she drops back in trip from finishing last in the Irish Oaks.

Bold Bibi has risen in the ratings after winning at Killarney last month but there was enough in hand to suggest she can follow up in the mile and a quarter handicap. Aidan O'Brien's 78lb apprentice Seán Levey gets a major chance at Naas when he looks to be on the stable number one New Zealand in the juvenile maiden. He will also be fancied in the fillies maiden on Diamond Necklace. However Shamardal's sister may not be one to trust at short odds.

Yesterday's final day crowd of 15,213 brought the total paying attendance for Galway race week to just short of 190,000, a drop of 3.3 per cent overall on 2006 according to the racecourse authorities. Bookmaker turnover yesterday of €1,638,611 was a significant drop from last year's figure of €1,986,547. It brought the overall total for the week with on-course bookmakers to just over €20.7 million. It proved a good week for the Tote with a national record of just €2 million on Thursday. The overall Tote turnover for the week was €8,623,403, up almost one million on last year.