Progressive Roca Roma the one to beat following major boost to Tipperary form

4.37 Listowel
Edmund & Josie Whelan Memorial Listowel Stakes (Listed) | 1m1f | 3yo+ | TG4/RTV

Saltonstall's 43rd outing is a first visit to Listowel and with an official rating of 104, the evergreen seven-year-old is the highest-rated runner in the Listed event.

The most recent of Saltonstall's seven wins was at Dundalk last November and he is 0-11 this season, but that does not tell the whole story as he chased home Lope Y Fernandez in a Listed event at Leopardstown in April, while his two most recent efforts in hot Curragh handicaps were more encouraging than his form figures suggest.

He is one of two runners for Ado McGuinness as the Lusk-based trainer is also represented by Casanova, who is chasing a hat-trick after recent wins at Galway and Punchestown. His mark has soared from 79 to 99 in the space of a fortnight and puts him right in the mix.

Finans Bay is not fully exposed yet and looks to have decent claims, but the one to beat could be Roca Roma.

The four-year-old filly chased home Pearls Galore in a Group 3 at Tipperary last month and that form was franked by the winner as she was narrowly touched off in the Matron Stakes at Leopardstown.

Roca Roma looks ready for the step up in trip and stall three is ideal. Colin Keane's pursuit of the all-time record for winners in a Flat season in Ireland sees him lie 12 winners shy of Joseph O'Brien. This could edge him another winner closer.

What they say

Ado McGuinness, trainer of Casanova and Saltonstall
Casanova is one of these horses who has come alive in the last couple of weeks for whatever reason. He was very good at Punchestown last week and we said we'd give him a go in this. It's not the strongest Listed race ever run but it will still take a bit of winning. Saltonstall ran a blinder at the Curragh, he was nearest at the finish and a repeat of that run would put him bang there. He's got a great chance.

Michael Halford, trainer of Finans Bay
His last couple of runs have been very good and the trip and the ground should be fine. It's a competitive race but he's been in very good form since his last run at the Curragh. We're hopeful of a big run.

Michael Mulvany, trainer of In From The Cold
He seems to be in good enough form but we would have loved more rain, the softer the better when it comes to him. He's hardly good enough to win in this class but we said we'd give him a shot at it.

Joseph O'Brien, trainer of So I Told You and Visualisation
Visualisation has had a great season so far. He's a lovely progressive colt who'll continue to progress next year as a four-year-old. He's in good form and we'd like to think he has a decent chance in an open race. He'll like the ground. We're trying to sneak some black type with So I Told You, who has a lovely draw in stall one.

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