Barrier trial experience can benefit Dandy Man and Gale Force Ten colts

Judges studying the form for juvenile maidens will now have a new element to consider - horses who have run in the first official barrier trials in Ireland, which were held by Irish Thoroughbred Marketing, together with HRI and the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board, at Dundalk on May 6.

Already a winner has emerged from the trials, with Dandys Ocean a clear-cut winner of 5f Curragh maiden just five days after he finished fifth of six in the second of two initial trials.

Two more graduates of that second heat are set to line up in the 5f maiden at Navan on Saturday (2.30), and the hope will be that they will have benefited from their racecourse experience.

By the same sire as Dandys Ocean in Dandy Man, Count D'Orsay was only just collared towards the line in the trial by Indigo Balance, an Invincible Spirit half-brother to Cable Bay.

Count D'Orsay, a 30,000gns yearling purchase for Mags O'Toole, is trained by Charles O'Brien for the C'Est La Vie syndicate and will be ridden by Declan McDonogh.

View the racecard for the 2.30 at Navan

Mister Kipling, meanwhile, finished last of the six in the bunch finish and should have more to offer. The son of Gale Force Ten was a €12,500 yearling purchase for his trainer Jack Davison.

Perhaps it will be Coral Beach, though, that will give the pair most to do on their first start under rules.

The daughter of Zoffany is a half-sister to the Group 2-placed Amona, and was a highly promising third to the pricey Kodiac filly Fairyland on her Naas debut earlier this month.

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