Three OF the biggest battalions in racing take each other on in today's EBF Race in Cork and Beldarian is taken to win the battle for John Oxx.
Dermot Weld and Aidan O'Brien also go to war in the fivehorse 12-furlong contest and it should be a fascinating tactical race. The Listowel and Gowran winner Rajjaaf is likely to get the stamina test he appreciates and on Gowran form he looks to have the beating of Desert Fox. However, the O'Brien colt is now equipped with blinkers and a repeat of that form is not guaranteed.
The unknown quantity in the field is the filly Beldarian. This one got up in the last stride to deny Sunshine Street, who subsequently runner-up in the Derrinstown Derby Trial, with Desert Fox back in third.
That was over 10 furlongs, but this trip should suit Beldarian ideally as she is out of the disqualified Irish Oaks winner Sorbus. John Murtagh goes into the race knowing that Beldarian's stamina is reasonably assured and, riding as well as he is, it will give the filly an extra edge. Oxx and Murtagh are also fancied to win the McCarthy-Lynch Handicap with Mazurka but they don't look to be the only ones set to be on the mark more than once at the Cork track.
Whatever about Rajjaaf, Weld looks to have a fine chance in the Murphys Handicap with Moving On Up, a very easy winner at Leopardstown last Sunday and who can defy the 8lb penalty against Canzona. Weld is also taken to beat Oxx in the mile maiden with the Indian Ridge colt Silverado who looks to have Absoluta to beat.
Saturday race fans certainly can't complain about the quantity of action with an eight-race card also being run in Downpatrick, but the quality isn't exactly great.
A winner is a winner though and Downpatrick could also see some double mania.
Champion amateur Ruby Walsh looks to have the winning of the Irish Field Maiden Hurdle if Andrea Cova is at her best and he also looks to have the winning of the bumper with Michael Hourigan's Ahead Of My Time.
Two of the most promising young apprentices in the country, Fran Berry and Declan McDonogh also look to have a couple of chances each. Berry is an equally accomplished rider over jumps and he teams up with Pat Hughes for Savu Sea in the second division of the maiden hurdle and the Killarney fifth, Strategic Ploy, in the Polly Handicap Hurdle.
