Trainer views and what to look out for in the Irish Lincolnshire

4.50 Naas
Tote Irish Lincolnshire | 1m | 4yo+ | ATR

Plenty points to Pincheck

Course form. Check. Soft ground form. Check. Winning form over the trip. Check. Goes well fresh. Check. Carrying 9st 6lb or more. Check.

Pincheck certainly ticks a lot of boxes so it is hardly surprising to see him towards the top of the market for the first big handicap of the Irish Flat turf season.

Pincheck has won his two starts at Naas, both of them over today's trip of a mile, and arguably his most polished performance arrived on a similar sort of surface to the one he will encounter today when winning cosily off a mark of 92 in September.

He was successful on his first start as a three-year-old when making a winning debut for Jessica Harrington in a Leopardstown maiden after 187 days off so goes well fresh and four of the last five winners have carried 9st 6lb or more to success so his weight burden should not put you off.

Jessica Harrington is excited about his chances too and admits that plenty is in Pincheck's favour.

Harrington said: "He seems to love it around Naas. He has won around there a few times. He will certainly go on the ground too. He is a big, strong horse and I'd be hoping that he will be there or thereabouts."

Been there, done that and bought the T-shirt

It is the third anniversary of Onenightidreamed's victory in this race.

A lot has changed since that impressive success off a mark of 89 at the Curragh. He has switched trainers from father to son, he is now rated 103 and the race is no longer run at the Curragh.

The mud-loving seven-year-old was seventh to Sruthan in the race in 2016 and eighth to Brendan Bracken in it last year but he is running off a 4lb lower mark than last year.

"He won it three years ago off 89 but he hasn't been able to win it off top-weight for the last two years so it is hard to see him doing it off top-weight this time. He is in good form at home, though, and he will love the ground so I do think he will run well," said trainer Fozzy Stack.

Tommy and Fozzy Stack after Onenightidreamed's Gladness Stakes win in AprilCredit: Caroline Norris

If at first you don't succeed, try again, and again . . . and again

Aussie Valentine has had his heart broken in this race three times already, yet he is a glutton for punishment and back for more. This time under the care of Ado McGuinness.

Aussie Valentine was runner-up to Onenightidreamed in 2015, Sruthan in 2016 and Brendan Bracken in 2017 so few could begrudge him a change of luck as he seeks to make it fourth time lucky in the race.

McGuinness said: "We decided to give him a pipe-opener in Dundalk, just to get his fitness levels up, and it's just as well we did with the way the weather has been. He's in terrific form and we're very hopeful of a big run."

Brendan Brackan and Gary Carroll (second left) challenge Aussie Valentine (left) and stablemate Sea Wolf (right) in the Irish LincolnshireCredit: Patrick McCann

What they say

Richard Fahey, trainer of Third Time Lucky & Carnageo
They’ve given us the visitors' draw! I’m really happy with both horses and they’ve travelled over in good form, but everything tells you they’ve got quite a task trying to win from stalls 17 and 20.

Richard O'Brien, trainer of Beach Bar, Captain Cat and Maths Prize
Beach Bar would probably look to be the best chance of my three. He is well drawn and his form suggests that he handles cut in the ground. He came out of his race nine days ago in great shape. Captain Cat has only been with us three weeks and he would need to improve upon what he's been showing recently to feature at the business end of a race like this. He has proved that he handles this sort of ground, though, and I would imagine he will be the type of horse who will continue progressing over the next six to eight weeks. It is a big ask for Maths Prize but he has been doing everything very nicely since he got here.

Michael Mulvany, trainer of On The Go Again

He looks to have plenty in his favour. I think he is fit enough anyway as he worked during the week and worked well. He has a nice draw too. The only worry I do have is that the trip might be on the sharp side so I hope it is a truly-run race.

Dermot Weld, trainer of Sorelle Delle Rose
As it is the case with all of mine, especially the fillies, she was more forward three weeks ago and the bad weather has put us back. She is not as forward as she was three weeks ago. We were hit very hard in the Curragh and it means that we are now three weeks behind.

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