Pat Smullen has seamlessly made the usually difficult transition from champion apprentice to becoming a leading rider in his own right this season, and the young Co Offaly jockey can only confirm that with another winner at Gowran Park this afternoon. It's fair to say that his partner in that quest, Black Rock City, has not realised his own potential as quickly as Smullen has, but his first venture into handicap company in today's Leighlin Nursery could well be when he starts to shine.
Trainer Ger Lyons thought a good deal of this colt before his first run at Naas behind Kitza, and it looked to be justified afterwards when Black Rock City ran third to the Gimcrack Stakes hopeful, Family Crest, at Leopardstown in May. However, Black Rock City's only subsequent effort was disappointing.
That was at Bellewstown last month when, despite being a wellsupported favourite, the colt was headed much too easily for comfort and trailed in fourth to another Aidan O'Brien juvenile, Precise Direction.
O'Brien is represented by two in today's race, including the topweight, Risk Material, a good winner at Naas on his only start. However, he will have to concede a substantial 17lb to Black Rock City, who can prove that he is a good better than he has shown so far by beating Risk Material and Jim Bolger's Cork winner, Jovine.
The O'Brien stable introduce a Caerleon colt, Celtic Cavalier, who is reputed to be quite smart, in the Goresbridge Maiden. However, it may pay to rely on the proven racecourse form of Aislo.
After a fine debut behind the smart Winona at Leopardstown, Aislo proceeded to run a blinder at Galway when staying on strongly on the outside to finish second to Pelagius.
Aislo looks an individual who will keep improving and appears a reasonable bet to confirm that against Celtic Cavalier and the Weld newcomer, Harda Arda. Foyle Wanderer has been a rather frustrating type to follow but he is worth giving another chance to in the Old Leighlin Maiden Hurdle. Dermot Weld's Delirious Moment was a drifting favourite for a rather ordinary contest at the Galway festival and the market got it right, as she had no answer to Beamish Boy, who challenged in the dip and sprinted clear on the climb to the finish.
Delirious Moment runs in the Thomastown Maiden, but it could be worth opposing her with John Oxx's Handaza, who is making her seasonal debut but who ran well in decent company here and at Leopardstown in her only two starts last season.
