The Irish Angle: Johnny Ward's best bets at Killarney

Killarney’s middle of a five-day meet continues in fine sunshine and, as has been the case throughout the week, we have smart maidens to peruse over.

With Sparan Nua set to be supplemented for the Irish Oaks at the weekend, will her form get farther endorsement when Cromac Quay contests the feature?

The progress of Meriden has been one of the stories of the season. Her new rating of 97 renders a horse who was winning off 57 six weeks ago a big player.

Unusually, we have four of the ten runners having contested the same maiden at Naas. Transcript was the shortest price of them, finished second, and he was making his debut so he has to be considered the most likely winner of that quartet. Pinoroyale was last of the four, but not disgraced and was also making his debut. He could do better.

Kalir finished second of the quartet, but that was his fifth start. At 28-1, Cello Sonata was the longest price of them and he should offer value here.

His sire, Sergei Prokofiev, is a cheap proposition capable of getting top-class horses and there was loads to like about this horse’s debut effort. Dylan Browne McMonagle is booked, and he should be an each-way price and makes lots of appeal.

A race full of talking points and hard to know what should be favourite. Cromac Quay had an excuse when odds-on second to Sparan Nua – form that got a further boost when her stablemate in third readily won a good maiden since.

She had less to beat at Leopardstown, but clearly has a serious turn of foot. Jessica Harrington had nice options for her next start and this looks a good choice.

Under a year ago, this horse was odds-on favourite to win a maiden against dual bumper winner Friary Road and high-class hurdler Buddy One.

Since leaving Noel Meade, things looked to be going nowhere until dramatic improvement on Saturday at Limerick under a 7lb claimer. Billy Lee takes over and, off a mark of 60, he has to be considered. 

This mare looked to be travelling worse than about half-a-dozen horses coming out of the back straight at Ballinrobe, but she still finished second and one of the also-rans has won since.

She can hang left and she was sent off favourite at Ballinrobe so this looks a race she can win.