The one race you do not want to miss at Killarney on Wednesday
7.30 Killarney
Irish Stallion Farms EBF Cairn Rouge Stakes (Listed) | 1m, 3yo+ | RTV
Why is it interesting?
Frankie Dettori is riding in it for starters, and Lady Wannabe is perhaps the best chance of a flying dismount on his maiden voyage to Killarney.
The Fozzy Stack-trained filly is the joint top-rated in the race along with Viadera. That pair met in a Curragh handicap when Lady Wannabe had to settle for second behind Viadera despite being in receipt of 23lb. They renew rivalry here off level weights.
Father and son Aidan and Joseph O'Brien are both triple-handed, with Aidan's Secret Thoughts making her first appearance since finishing tenth of 11 behind Mehdaayih in the Cheshire Oaks in early May, while Donnacha O'Brien will be on board Wisdom Mind for his older brother.
Annie Fior is also in the line-up. We are only in mid-July, but she will be making her 14th start of the year, where her mark has soared from 60 at the start of April to 87 now, with two wins at Gowran Park and another at Leopardstown in that period.
What do the stats say?
This has been a bloodbath for punters in recent years with winners at 12-1, 10-1, 11-4 and 6-1. Palace was the last winning favourite in 2014 when scoring for Aidan O'Brien and Seamie Heffernan.
Declan McDonogh will certainly have fond memories of this Listed prize as he has won it for two of the last three years with Bella Estrella (2018) and Creggs Pipes (2016). This time around he will be on board the lightly raced Snapraeceps, who won a Gowran Park maiden in May.
What do the trainers say?
Fozzy Stack, trainer of Hand On Heart and Lady Wannabe
We have one that wants rain and one that doesn't. Hand On Heart would appreciate any rain that falls, the slower the ground the better chance she has. Things just happened a bit quick for her at Ascot. Lady Wannabe wouldn't want rain. She's meeting Ger's filly [Viadera] all wrong from their clash at the Curragh, but we are hoping for a good run and having Frankie on board is obviously a nice boost too.
Joseph O'Brien, trainer of Wisdom Mind, Cnoc An Oir and Snapraeceps
Wisdom Mind seems to be better than ever this year. She has already picked up some black type and the hope would be that she would get some more of that here. Cnoc An Oir had a bad run at the Curragh last time, but she is back against her own sex here which will help. She's well bred and we are on the lookout for some black type with her. Snapraceps is improving and had a nice run at Limerick after winning her maiden. We're hoping for a good run from here.
Aidan O'Brien, trainer of Mona Lisa's Smile, Secret Thoughts and Simply Beautiful
Secret Thoughts is just about ready to start back, she has been on a break since Chester. Simply Beautiful ran over much further at Leopardstown last time, but she won her maiden at Naas over a mile and should appreciate the shorter trip. We always thought Mona Lisa's Smile worked a lot better than she has shown on the track. I don't think we have seen the best of her yet.
Jessica Harrington, trainer of Morpho Blue
She's in great form and we thought now was the time to try and chase some black type. She deserves a crack at a race like this.
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