Cromwell puts down Majic marker behind winning Lady

ItschessnotchekersTrainer: Noel Lawlor
3rd, 6f nursery handicap, Dundalk, November 10
It is somewhat unusual for a juvenile having its seventh run to make an appearance in this column, but this gelded son of Arakan showed considerable improvement at Dundalk, enough to suggest a corner may have been turned.

Four runs in maidens and a couple of efforts in nurseries had revealed a little ability, but he stepped up on that last week after dropping back to 6f. He was settled at the back of the field, had a fair bit to do early in the straight and from a furlong and a half out he picked up well and ran to the line despite being denied a clear run inside the final furlong. He seems to need to come with a sustained effort and may well be best at this trip, and on this evidence he should go close in a nursery.

Twenty Minutes
Ken Condon
5th, 1m 2yo maiden, Dundalk, November 10
In a pretty quiet season for Ken Condon, the highlights have been the performances of his good juveniles Romanised and Mamba Noire, and perhaps this gelded son of Rip Van Winkle can improve into a winner too.

He was slowly out of the stalls and was up against it from the off, he was also quite green, but from two furlongs out he began to stay on and without picking up to a huge degree he kept staying on and was getting the hang of things close home.