Monday tips: Gallery can prove picture-perfect at Naas

5.35 Thirsk: Mr McCall

I thought Mr McCall shaped very nicely in the first division of the apprentice handicap on the opening day of the Flat season at Doncaster – and he’s since been dropped 1lb by the handicapper.

Behind early, he travelled smoothly into the straight and was the last off the bridle inside the final two and a half furlongs. He still looked green when initially asked for his effort, but closed all the way to the line for fourth and was beaten just 1½ lengths.

A four-year-old with just five Flat starts, he is by Farhh whose stock improve with age and he has scope for further progress now back up in trip, with Paul Mulrennan taking over the in the saddle from apprentice Madi Patzelt.

5.45 Naas: National Gallery

National Gallery is bred to do much better as a three-year-old and this expensive buy can make a winning handicap debut in a race that looks deeper on quantity than quality.

He was very green and keen on debut at the Curragh last year behind Point Lonsdale but shaped better than his 10½ -length defeat suggested. Given the way he went through the race, he actually showed up quite well and was up there most of the way before being heavily eased just inside the final furlong when earlier exertions had taken their toll.

A big and imposing type, he looks likely to do better this season on both looks and pedigree – his sire Caravaggio is 16.1% with his three-year-olds (1.15 A/E) so far in Britain and Ireland, significantly better than the 9.9% strike-rate (0.72 A/E) with his two-year-olds.

National Gallery isn’t obviously well-handicapped from an opening mark of 80, but he just looks the type with the potential to progress pass that rating sooner rather than later and in a contest where little looks obviously well-in on current ratings.

The one exception is Pearl Palinka, who does look well-handicapped on her maiden form, while I’d put her underwhelming return at Cork down to the Dermot Weld yard not being very forward at all (Homeless Songs the only winner from 35 runners in April). However, five furlongs genuinely looks her trip on the evidence so far rather than this six.

7:15 Naas: Culcor

I didn’t think too many horses looked especially well-treated here and Culcor can strike in the feature race on handicap debut, with the early 6/1 looking fair.

He’s bred to be better than this opening mark of 83 being by Invincible Spirit out of Hot Snap and has shown promise on both starts this season in warm maiden events.

Culcor kept on well for fourth on debut at the Curragh – the front three were up with the pace more or less throughout – and made up plenty of ground from the back despite being interfered with once or twice among early scrimmaging, while he was also green when asked for his effort. I think he shaped better than Ivy League, who also makes his handicap debut here, yet that colt is the early favourite here despite carrying 1lb more.

Culcor was beaten by Classic hope Toy at Cork last time and shaped second-best after battling with that regally-bred Ballydoyle runner fairly early on and coming under pressure three furlongs from home. He was also conceding 5lb to that filly.

Mister Wilson, Fiach McHugh and Nectaris are some of the names likely to ensure a decent pace here and slightly more patient tactics this time can help Culcor step forward again - as can stepping up in trip for this first crack at a mile for top team Colin Keane and Ger Lyons from what looks a very workable opening mark.