The ground, which is officially forecast to be good to firm, will be a major factor at Gowran Park this afternoon but hopefully it will not inconvenience the Jim Bolger-trained Mitra in the opening Kilkenny Race.
With the going fluctuating so much in recent weeks, a certain adaptability and toughness is vital and Mitra is certainly a filly with those attributes.
She is making a quick reappearance after finishing fourth to Chenille in a nursery at Leopardstown on Saturday but that was an even better effort than it appears on paper as she only just lost out in a blanket finish by two heads and a short head.
Her main danger looks to be Balla Sola who ended a frustrating run of placed efforts when winning at Galway on Sunday. He, too, should have few problems handling this fast ground and now that he has finally got his head in front may have developed a liking for it. However, Balla Sola has flattered only to deceive in the past and Mitra looks a more reliable tool for this job.
Possibly the most interesting runner today is the novice chaser Boss Doyle who takes on a field of four in the Bennettsbridge Chase.
Mouse Morris's strapping five-year-old has easily won his two starts over fences so far at Listowel and Thurles but faces into new territory today by going back half a mile in distance and taking on a hardened chaser in Penndara.
Boss Doyle's jumping may not be overly tested in this small field but it's hard to avoid the impression that he could end up as primarily a stayer and today's distance rather than the fences could be his undoing.
Penndara was a slightly disappointing favourite here two weeks ago when beaten into third by Beakstown and New Co but that pair are useful and there was no disgrace in it. This time Penndara could be left alone to dominate the race from the front, a scenario that could be the beating of Boss Doyle.
The dividing of the maiden hurdle means yet another eight-race card but for those who take an interest in Dudley Do Right in the first division, the marathon may not seem so long.
