Majestic Times looks ready to deliver

The Listed Abergwaun Stakes is the highlight at Cork this afternoon and the five furlong sprint looks like providing the Brazilian…

The Listed Abergwaun Stakes is the highlight at Cork this afternoon and the five furlong sprint looks like providing the Brazilian jockey Valdir de Souza with his most important success to date in Ireland.

A classic winner in his homeland, de Souza has made quite an impact on horses trained by Liam McAteer this season and Majestic Times looks like he can copper-fasten the relationship with a black-type win.

Following an encouraging third-place finish in the Ayr Gold Cup in September it was only in the closing stages that Majestic Times gave best to Miss Sally over six furlongs at the Curragh last weekend and this easy five trip should prove ideal.

Miss Sally's stable companion Cupids Ray is a possible danger to McAteer's charge as is the topweight Osterhase.

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There is also Listed action at Naas tomorrow where the Garnet Stakes competes with the Birdcatcher Nursery for top-billing.

The topweight Rhythm N Roots could successfully drop back in trip for the latter while soft ground will be to Sky High Flyer's advantage in the mile fillies race.

The bet of the day at Naas however looks like being in the fillies maiden where the regally-bred Kamarinskaya shouldn't have to put up with anything like Alexander Alliance who beat her in a Stakes race at the Curragh last weekend.

A very interesting prospect in the mile and a half handicap is another regally-bred horse in Essex whose progress over hurdles last winter took in both the Pierse Hurdle and the Tote Gold Trophy. Before that he had also won the Cesarewitich on the level and if that level of progress is maintained then a mark of 89 tomorrow does not look bad at all.

There is a very good jumping card at Cork tomorrow where Beechcourt could be an interesting contender in the Listed Handicap Chase and Ballyagran looks one to keep on the right side of in the novice hurdle.

The best National Hunt bet of the day however looks to be back at Naas in the bumper where the extra distance and the stiffer track should be ideal for Back To Bid who was behind Silent Oscar at Listowel.

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor is the racing correspondent of The Irish Times. He also writes the Tipping Point column