Alan Sweetman's two bets for a competitive card at Naas on Sunday

Trained at Newmarket by Galway native Patrick Owens, the four-year-old filly was Listed-placed on two occasions last season but only now seems to be coming into her own.

Starting the campaign with a fourth in a competitive sprint handicap at York in May, she coped really well when stepped up in class for a Group 3 event over the same course and distance last month.

In taking second behind the Commonwealth Cup third Flotus, she was also in front of two fillies who reoppose, Teresa Mendoza from the Ken Condon stable and the Clive Cox-trained Benefit, a Listed winner at Salisbury earlier in the season.

There is no obvious reason why she should fail to confirm that form and she can take advantage of a low draw to beat Ano Syra and Sacred Bridge, who appear best of the home team after running behind the British-trained Go Bears Go in the Phoenix Sprint at the Curragh.

Belardeen
4.30 Naas
2pts win

Lightly-raced filly appeals as one of the less exposed runners in a sprint handicap that has attracted a maximum 24-runner field.

Her inside draw would be potentially advantageous in any case, but particularly due to her jockey reporting that she hung to the left when making her handicap debut over course and distance a month ago.

Once she got over to the rail she ran on strongly, ending up sixth behind Gordon Bennett, who has continued on an upward curve with a Curragh win.

Belardeen has been dropped 3lb and County Tipperary trainer Hilary McLoughlin has booked Jake Coen to claim a valuable 5lb off the four-year-old, who will be having only the fifth start of her career.

With eight wins to her name since the start of the year, four at Dundalk and four on turf, McLoughlin is operating at a healthy 15 per cent strike-rate with her 2022 runners, who are showing a level-stake profit of 28.25.