At the same time as Lingfield’s Racing League meeting, Leopardstown hosts a card featuring the Group 3 Desmond Stakes. The seven runners are closely matched and we have selected our 1-2-3 in the tight contest below.
Boundless Ocean (Jim Bolger, Kevin Manning)
Jim Bolger placed this horse to perfections last time out after tries at multiple trips and he might well claim a further Group race reward here too.
BOUNDLESS OCEAN was perhaps a surprise runner in the 2000 Guineas after winning his maiden over 1m2f. The son of Teofilo would have been expected at that stage to remain a middle distance horse, though he had run respectable races as a juvenile in Group company over shorter.
Though he returns to 1m here after being down the field in the Guineas, he has proven since that he does not lack for pace where he may for stamina. He was a decent third in the Gallinule Stakes over 1m2f, but failed to stay over 1m4f, including when a distant sixth in the Irish Derby.
Dropped back to 1m1f last time, and against older opposition, he won readily in the Group 3 Meld Stakes at this venue and a further furlong down in trip is no big issue. He looks to have a great chance again even under a 3lb penalty for that latest triumph.
Raadobarg (Johnny Murtagh, Ben Coen)
Below Boundless Ocean, the field is difficult to order. The places may go to those at each-way prices though and RAADOBARG may be the closest to the selection at the finish.
Johnny Murtagh’s charge has a great strike rate on turf of 50% for both his current trainer and former handler Roger Varian. That includes two wins so far this season which saw him get off to a great start for Murtagh.
He claimed the Irish Lincoln on his stable debut off a mark of 98 before victory in an open contest at Tipperary. Since then, he has found Listed races a bit tougher, but the first of those efforts, on soft ground at Longchamp, is certainly forgivable.
He was saving his best until late at the Curragh last time when fourth to Wexford Native, but he was conceding 10lb to the three-year-olds at the time. Now, he only need concede 7lb (4lb to Boundless Ocean) and could be in the mix if the pace is strong.
Voice Of Angels (Joseph O’Brien, Dylan Browne McMonagle)
Joseph O’Brien’s filly VOICE OF ANGELS has been a largely consistent force at Listed level this season and her best efforts would leave her in with a chance of sneaking the each-way place in this seven-runner field.
When she wins, she wins well, as has been proven by her margins of victory in her two career successes. She stormed home at Thurles last season before winning equally readily in an open EBF race at Navan in May. That came after a pair of respectable, if slightly underwhelming, handicap efforts to kickstart her season.
Since then, she has only contested Listed prizes, finishing seventh at Longchamp before going very close against her fellow filles and mares at Killarney. She was third to Cigamia that day, but that was a very solid run in a race with a fair amount of depth.
She suffered interference at Galway last time over 7f, which may have been short enough for her anyway and this step back up could see her move in the right direction again.