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There are seven fixtures across the UK and Ireland on Wednesday, with Gowran Park’s seven-race card boasting some promising individuals in the maiden races.
Old Faithful is expected to attract market support in the 7f Irish Stallion Farms EBF (C & G) Maiden (2:20) after a promising third behind stablemate Diego Velazquez in a Curragh maiden. Although unable to make any realistic challenge on the impressive winner, Old Faithful stayed on well in the closing stages in the hands of Seamie Heffernan and shaped as though he would improve for the run. The Aidan O'Brien-trained Siyouni colt is out of Sapa Inca, who won in Listed company over 1m6f and could be a possible Derby candidate next year.
He will face tough opposition from Jessica Harrinton's Instant Appeal, who has out-ran expectations on both career starts. The Advertise colt finished second behind subsequent Listed runner-up Deepone on debut at Leopardstown and followed up with a third behind City Of Troy at the Curragh, who has since recorded Group 2 success. This contest represents a far easier task and he still benefits from the apprentice claim of Scott McCullagh, who has ridden him in both starts to date.
WIN: INSTANT APPEAL
There is a real mix of experience on display in the 7f Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden (2:55), ranging from the un-raced to Johnny Murtagh's Alabama Pearl, who boasts six placings from her ten racecourse starts. The daughter of Dandy Man may not have secured a win yet but she demonstrated improvement with the first-time visor applied to finish runner-up at Leopardstown over seven furlongs in a competitive handicap.
The Niarchos family's Perseids fits the likely required profile of a winner in this race, having already raced three times with further progression to come. Runner-up on her two starts as a juvenile, the More Than Ready filly returned after a length absence with a well-beaten fifth at Leopardstown, where she appeared to run out of steam in the closing stages. She should improve for race fitness and first time-blinkers.
WIN: PERSEIDS
Joseph O'Brien has another potential Niarchos-owned winner in the 1m6f Racing Again September 16th Maiden (5:50). Although Uxmal appears to have some niggling issues (raced once a season since a juvenile), he has shown potential on each of his three racecourse outings. Second in a maiden over this distance at three, the Galileo colt returned after a break and a gelding operation with a solid fourth in a Tramore maiden in mid-August. The first-time cheekpieces have been applied to sharpen him up and despite his unusual breeding – out of multiple Group 3 winning sprinter Only Mine – he is a proven stayer.
WIN: UXMAL
Livio Milo makes his handicap debut in the 7f Golf At Gowran Park Handicap (3:30) with a consistent profile. He finally broke through for a maiden victory at the Galway Festival when returning to seven furlongs in an eleven-runner contest but found conditions too tough at Killarney over a mile subsequently. The drop back to seven furlongs is a major positive and he rarely puts in a poor performance.
WIN: LIVIO MILO
RACING & SPORTS
RACE 1: INSTANT APPEAL
RACE 2: PERSEIDS
RACE 3: LIVIO MILO
RACE 4: CELTIC CROWN
RACE 5: PINBALL WIZARD
RACE 6: ROCK ETOILE
RACE 7: UXMAL
