Testing ground will give Irish Champions Weekend scorer stern examination

Lodge Park Stud Irish EBF Park Express Stakes (Group 3) | 1m | 3yo+ | RTV

Heavy conditions will make this a real test for some promising fillies and it will be intriguing to see how Irish Champions Weekend heroine Blissful fares on her first attempt on ground worse than good to yielding.

A real improver last season, her Listed victory over Cheveley Park Stakes sixth Nurse Barbara proved she had an excellent attitude and perhaps she was a little over the top when down the field in the Rockfel Stakes at Newmarket 13 days later.

She is rated 1lb inferior to last season's impressive Derrinstown Stud 1,000 Guineas Trial winner Hamariyna but gets a handy pull at the weights with her elders, receiving 19lb from Mick Halford's four-year-old, who is back from a 271-day absence.

Hamariyna: an impressive Group 3 winner at Leopardstown last seasonCredit: Patrick McCann

However, it's interesting to note that 2016 winner Queen Blossom is the only three-year-old to have hit the frame in this race over the past five years.

Ger Lyons' Even So, who provided the Glenburnie trainer with a first winner in the colours of Sue Magnier at Gowran last September, is a promising three-year-old worthy of the utmost respect.

There is also little doubt that we didn't see the best of Raven's Cry on her last start at Leopardstown in September behind Blissful and she remains one to keep on side as the season develops.

Kiss For A Jewel, the sole representative for two-time winner of this race Dermot Weld, is one of the only runners proven on testing ground and this trip will surely be more to her liking than the 1m4f she tried when last seen in October.

Kiss For A Jewel: notched two victories on testing ground last seasonCredit: Patrick McCann

What the stats say

Jim Bolger has been the man to follow in the race named after his 1986 Irish Champion Stakes heroine, who is also the dam of the Coolcullen handler's five-time Group 1 winner New Approach.

Smart winner of a Roscommon maiden, Cerro Bayo will bid to cause an upset, attempting to provide Bolger with a fifth Park Express Stakes.

What the trainers say

Mick Halford, trainer of Hamariyna
We're delighted to have her back. She just had a setback that came at the wrong time last year, it wasn't anything too serious. She seems in a good place and is ready to start back. She's been pleasing us at home.

Dermot Weld, trainer of Kiss For A Jewel
It's a race that's been good to us and we've been lucky to win it with some nice fillies. She's in good form and seems to handle the ground, so we're hopeful that she'll represent us well.

Aidan O'Brien, trainer of Blissful
She seems in good form and is just ready to start back. We think she probably wants better ground, it's probably not ideal for any of them, but hopefully she can run a nice race.

Paddy Twomey, trainer of Raven's Cry
She picked up an injury on her final start last season at Leopardstown, but that's all behind her now. I think the trip will suit her well and she seems in good form, so we're looking forward to starting her off here.

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