Thursday's Irish Angle: Johnny Ward has five best bets

Jim Bolger has never been conventional and it is hard to think of many trainers who would have tackled tonight's Bahrain Turf Club Desmond Stakes (6.00) with Sparan Nua.Why this race and not the Ballyroan Stakes over 12 furlongs? Plainly unlucky in the Irish Oaks, dropping back half a mile in distance here against older horses and colts is exactly the sort of punting conundrum that makes Flat racing and indeed Bolger so appealing.

There were some heavy showers in Dublin yesterday, but the ground is still expected to be good or better.I am going to Sligo for its Jumps offering. Best of luck with your picks. In a bizarre state of affairs, all bar one race in Ireland have at least eight runners; in the 24 turf races in Britain, 22 of them have less than eight. For punters and turnover, we really need races with at least eight runners.

Plenty of apparent pace on here and, like at Ballinrobe, this four-year-old can take a lead off Crystabel and win (effectively the same weights given the claim of the excellent Josh Williamson).

This gelding seems to be coming to himself and the way he finished last time (Jack Kennedy said he was a bit behind the bridle throughout) is encouraging against horses I would not be convinced will have much left after the last (like Luker's Tipple and Firebrand).

The trip is a quandary, especially as she seemed to take some time to warm up in the Oaks, but she finishes her races really well and almost half of the field here are possible leaders, so she should have no issues in that regard.

She very much appeals as the one with the upside to win a cracking renewal. It won't be easy at the weights but it is hard to oppose her.

This daughter of Frontiersman warmed up nicely for this when sixth here last time, looking a threat until the second-last, and there is so much pace on here she looks the right type to capitalise at decent odds (16s or bigger all handicaps).

She drops back slightly in trip under the excellent Darragh O'Keeffe.

This horse's full-sister won over this trip or farther and it is possible that Tom McCourt has been running him over the wrong trip, as he finished well at Cork over a demanding six furlongs after losing a fair bit of ground jinking left.

Sadhbh Tormey gets a nice tune out of her mounts – three of the last six placed, none a short price – and this horse has a decent draw, unlike some of the big dangers here. 

This mare has only run twice at Leopardstown and not won on Turf in over five years, so she is clearly going to be big odds to win this, but the price will allow a flutter.

Nothing was finishing faster at Naas in a race won by the pacemaker. Leopardstown's front-running bias this summer has been deeply frustrating at times but the booking of Dylan Browne McMonagle on her is surely significant and she looks in need of this trip now.

Tachos, tipped when running OK here last time, is feared but will also be killed if there is a front-running bias at the track.