Wednesday tips: Strike Zone can deliver at Cork

With racing cancelled in Britain on Wednesday, Ireland has the stage to itself. On a day of anomalies, Mallow in County Cork – which rarely gets a crowd for a Flat meet, let alone on a midweek afternoon – will be the only show in punting town.

There are seven races to solve, featuring plenty of runners. If you fancy visiting the racecourse, Mallow is one of the best-served towns in Ireland by rail – and, happily, we have no talk of a strike in Ireland. Let's see if we can find a winner or two. 

In the opening Irish EBF Auction Series Race (4.10), Fontaine Khaled may be able to keep up the good form of the Harty yard, which went close to an across-the-card double in the space of less than half an hour on Friday. 

A son of Kildangan's Earthlight, he was an unexpected on-the-show gamble on debut at The Curragh, keeping on nicely without being knocked about, and the winner subsequently ran well in Group company.

There was lots to like about Strike Zone's debut offering behind stablemate Amiata at Navan, where Gary Carroll educated the Mehmas colt, who showed nice speed to finish third. 

He can take the Coolmore Stud Gleneagles Irish EBF (C & G) Maiden (4.40). Ger Lyons has a good idea about what is required to beat the race sponsor's Charles Fort on what that one has achieved so far so this will be a compelling market on a day of unusually high turnover.

The sponsor of the William Hill Each Way Extra Handicap (5.10) is outdone by a rival with extra places in the sprint – a sign of how good punters have it at home these days. 

This is devilishly difficult, but Jon Riggens might be worth chancing. One of several here who will be ridden to swoop near the finish, Ben Coen has managed two wins on him, and he has only run thrice at Cork, featuring a second in a maiden at 40-1 and a third in a handicap off 84. He competes off 75 in this.

The Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden (5.40) is a classy one. Quite a bit went wrong for Anushka in the first two furlongs at Tipperary, where she was well-backed. Josh's Joy is the form pick reverting to the straight seven furlongs, but Robbie Colgan may be able to pick her off in a fascinating race, a scatter of dark ones lurking. I do not envy the great Peter O'Hehir calling another 22 horses over the straight seven in the Play Final One Standing By William Hill Handicap (6.10). Andy Slattery runs three in a race as difficult to call as I can remember this year.

Every horse has a story; what of Not Simple? Why is she called Not Simple? How did her sire, whose only win came in a claimer, end up at stud? How did the dam, who failed to finish placed in her career, end up in a liaison with him? And how on earth did she end up in Goresbridge, trained by James Barrett?

 All told, she may be the form pick, as she split the well-treated Famous Enough and rock-solid favourite Thegooseiscooked here last time. She has a bit of size and hopefully will handle an ease in the ground, though making all here will be ... not simple.

The penultimate event, the William Hill Gold Weekend Starts 8am Friday Maiden (6.40), can go to Hellorhighwater, though he has not been electric at the gates, so a better start would help from a high draw. Gavin Cromwell has already won two Flat maidens in the past week. Regardless of your profit or loss going into the nightcap, the Download The William Hill App Today Handicap (7.10), remember that there is always tomorrow. Michael Grassick's horses are in good nick and Verhoyen is bidding to win over a mile for the first time in a 91-race career.

 Keep an eye on the last horse on your racecard – Venetian – who could come alive for the wily Sean Davis. 

Secret Magician has not run at Mallow since finishing fourth over the straight seven here in March of last year off 71. He must have a shot at this off 65, as he has been in good nick and flashed home at Killarney from a hopeless position after Paddy Harnett was twice blocked in his run early. Wayne Hassett still claims 3lb and can showcase his talents on the nap of the day at a nice price.