It was a pleasure to be able to return to racing Thursday evening at Tramore.
The sport is still to a large extent behind closed doors, but the atmosphere created at a cosy track by the trainers and jockeys present was quite unique, symptomatic of the racing family.
There are some competitive races this weekend as Tramore concludes its Festival, Dundalk hosts horses on the polytrack and Cork stages a decent card on Sunday.
Saturday selections:
1.25 Dundalk: Iseebreeze
Stamina will be more of an issue as the surface beds down at Dundalk and some of these are probably better at the minimum trip. This mare stays seven furlongs, likes the track and makes plenty of appeal at the prices.
3.05 Dundalk: Make A Promise
This filly looks potentially smart, defying her inexperience to go down narrowly at Naas. It is hard to see why she should not progress and go close here under the excellent Mikey Sheehy.
4.40 Tramore: Lady Dahlia
A promising Australia-bred, stamina looks her main asset and she should be much sharper after a lovely start at Galway. Expect her to take all the beating.
5.10 Tramore: Scholastic
Desert Highway looked painfully slow for his pedigree both starts and this probably revolves around the stamina or otherwise of Scholastic.
Given that Severus Alexander, her brother, won over this trip, the chances are she will too and it looks well worth a shot.
7.45 Tramore: Jamie Sommers
Out of the brilliant Solerina, the mile and five furlongs were not quite enough for her at Leopardstown when she ran really well but around here, ridden quite aggressively, she has a massive chance at an each-way price over two miles.