Irish horse racing tips: Johnny Ward's best bets for Saturday

There are two good meetings – the Curragh and Fairyhouse - in Ireland on Saturday as we count down to the end of the Flat season, and there’s some ease in the ground at both venues, with the rain welcome in recent days after a dry summer.

One of these selections is less than obvious, but I like the chances of them all. Be lucky, and don’t forget to watch every race live on Racing TV.

Both of Maxine’s victories came on soft ground last year for Harry Dunlop, who has a seven per cent strike-rate with his Flat horses over the past five years.

Emmet Mullins has a cracking strike-rate, though, and Maxine made a nice start for him when an eye-catching sixth at Galway. Her draw is fine, and while the trip is a little bit of a quandary, she is well worth a shot at it.

This six-year-old looks blessed to remain in 0-95 company and he should be really hard to beat.

There is no real secret to his improvement as Philip Rothwell has hit form in a big way and, though Hard Target is feared, the selection looks better than this grade.

As a first-time-out winner almost two years ago here, good things might have been expected of Claonadh who has failed to finish in the first three in 11 times since.

It looked a mystery as to why she remained in training until her run at Fairyhouse last time where she was beaten four lengths but must have lost the best part of half a dozen, given how much traffic she met.

Cian Horgan is good value for his claim, this trip and ground will suit, and she has to be given one more chance for a trainer having a fine season.