With building work continuing at Fairyhouse, the executive could possibly have done without an eight-race card this evening but punters should be able to stay in a good mood, courtesy of Gothic Theme in the Curkeen Maiden.

The track redevelopment means that there will be no on-course betting shop in operation today but there is a reduced admission price of £6.

The Fairyhouse general manager Dick Sheil said yesterday: "We acknowledge that members of the racing industry and the racing public have been somewhat inconvenienced as a result of the building programme and we appreciate their patience. "However, as we are anxious that racing continues these changes were necessary. The reduced admission of £6 includes a racecard and we look forward to a good evening's racing."

John Oxx's clashes with Aidan O'Brien and Dermot Weldtrained horses have not been as successful as usual this term, but Gothic Theme can reverse the flow. As a daughter of the magnificent 2,000 Guineas winner, Zafonic, Gothic Theme is not an immediately obvious 12-furlong type but against that, the forecast of good to firm going should not be a problem for her. She also made a promising debut over a mile at the Curragh in April when a nearest-at-finish fifth to Royal Command in a race that has worked out quite well.

O'Brien's Peach Out Of Reach has proved disappointing, and the well-bred Blend Of Pace didn't exactly sparkle on her debut, so maybe Zaola could prove the main danger to Gothic Theme.

Another one to keep an eye on, at possibly a reasonable price, is Challenger Two in the Garristown Handicap. Beaten just a length and a head into third behind Osprey Ridge at Cork a month ago, Niall McCullagh's mount enjoys an 11lb pull with the winner and significantly was an easy winner himself on good to firm going at Killarney last July.

The one jump handicap on the card looks a reasonable opportunity for Davids Lad to complete a hat-trick. A one-length winner over Super Aisling at Down Royal, Davids Lad next travelled to Perth, where he overcame heavy ground to score impressively. Racing opens with the latest Aidan O'Brien juvenile to appear, the Fairy King colt Manhattan. The one with the racecourse form is Yara, who has been runner-up three times to Ballydoyle horses. Clearly smart, Yara looks a definite future winner but O'Brien should have got her range by now.