Danak can prove to be a bank holiday black spot for the bookmakers at Cork this afternoon with Michael Kinane's mount strongly fancied to keep his unbeaten record in the Platinum Stakes.
The John Oxx-trained colt faces just four opponents in the Listed event and even though Duff can boast some smart juvenile form from last year, and the ex-Dermot Weld horse King Jock progressed during the winter in Dubai, this looks an ideal opportunity for Danak.
Two years ago Oxx used the race for the subsequently Group One-placed Caradak and there are some similarities in profile with Danak.
A Gowran Park debut yielded a hard-fought win over the filly Striking at seven furlongs and last time out at Fairyhouse Danak had four lengths in hand of the Scurrys winner Taqseem over nine furlongs.
Today he is back at a mile but that should be no trouble as the Pivotal colt continues to progress to even better things.
Cork's other Listed race is the Give Thanks Stakes where the Pretty Polly fourth Tropical Lady has to shoulder a Group Two penalty over the mile and a half trip under David Moran.
Tropical Lady has an undoubted touch of class but she will do well to concede 16lb to some smart three-year-olds which includes the Mark Prescott-trained Italian Oaks third Souvenance.
The famously shrewd Prescott has had 12 winners in Ireland in the last six years which gives him a 44 per cent strike rate, something added to at Galway on Friday night with Elusive Dream.
Souvenance's last five starts have taken her to France, Italy and Germany and while she falls some way short of the likes of her stable companion Confidential Lady, it's significant that Prescott's retained rider Seb Sanders travels to Cork for the ride.
Future top-flight winners Black Minnaloushe (2000) and Luas Line (2004) both broke their duck in the seven-furlong maiden at this meeting and Aidan O'Brien unveils the Giants Causeway newcomer Trinity College today.
Dermot Weld's juveniles were in fine form at Galway last week, however, and his hope, Man With A Plan, was only a head short of Harper Valley at Gowran last month. That experience could be crucial.
Ruby Walsh travels south for the ride on Tony Martin's Mellow Music in the handicap hurdle and the partnership should be capable of defying a 7lb penalty for winning by three lengths at Kilbeggan last time.
The in-form Declan McDonogh is at Naas where he looks to have an excellent shout in the auction race with Jopau.
Ger Lyons's juvenile made an impressive winning debut at Cork and the form was subsequently franked by Patrickswell.
Mythical Echo ran an eye-catching debut at Fairyhouse behind El Soprano and should be good enough to land the maiden, while the Stakes-placed Be My Queen is hard to oppose in the mile maiden.
