Ones to keep an eye on at Kempton and Dundalk this evening

All-weather action on both sides of the Irish Sea tonight with Kempton and Dundalk hosting eight-race cards.

Kempton is the first to go, starting at 4.25pm on Racing UK. Dundalk runs through from 5.10pm to 8.40pm on At The Races.

It has been a record-breaking season for trainer Aidan O’Brien, and it is easy to see why when he can roll out a horse with Foreign Secretary’s breeding and it not appear to be one of the stable’s leading lights.

By Galileo out of Finsceal Beo, Foreign Secretary is a close relative of Beresford Stakes winner Ol’ Man River and holds an entry in next year’s Irish 2,000 Guineas.

Nevertheless, it appears he will not even be favourite for this race so must rank well below the links of Saxon Warrior, The Pentagon, US Navy Flag et al. It really is some operation.

It would be fair to say Poyle Thomas has not shown much in three runs for new trainer Michael Madgwick. However, that could all change this evening.

The eight-year-old was dropped 6lb after finishing tailed off in the Cesarewitch last time out, meaning he can sneak into a Class 4 handicap for the first time since winning a similar grade of race in 2014.

He has to carry top weight, and needs to regain some sparkle, but his all-weather record of one win, one second and one third in three starts offers additional encouragement as well.

Plenty of horses struggle to win one or two races, but tonight Hajaam goes for a fifth win in a row having picked up what racing is about in no uncertain terms.

Starting off a handicap mark of just 62, Hajaam has rocketed to a new mark of 88 although he can race of a rating 2lb lower here due to a 6lb penalty.

Trainer Charlie Fellowes has booked all-weather champion jockey Adam Kirby to ride Hajaam and plenty seems to be in the three-year-old’s favour as long as his busy schedule does not catch up with him.