Twilight Payment has 'solid chance' in bid for second Saval Beg success

3.00 Leopardstown
Saval Beg Levmoss Stakes (Listed Race) | 1m6f | 4yo+ | ITV4 & RTV

Twilight Payment and Falcon Eight filled the first two places in this Listed race last year and reoppose once again in 2020, with the race commonly regarded as an Ascot Gold Cup trial taking place 30 days later than originally planned.

Emmet Mullins' former German Group 2 winner Oriental Eagle is the only horse engaged that holds an entry for the Berkshire highlight next Thursday, but the stayers' contest remains an intriguing affair with five of the seven runners rated between 102 and 112.

Joseph O'Brien had been rattling the crossbar prior to a Friday double at the Curragh and will be hoping Twilight Payment, who was with Jim Bolger when successful last year, can get back to winning ways after finishing down the field in Saudi Arabia earlier this year.

Falcon Eight (near): managed to get the better of Mekong in the Listed Esher Stakes at Sandown last JulyCredit: Edward Whitaker

No trainer has a better record in the Saval Beg than Dermot Weld, who has claimed the spoil eight times since 1992, and his Sandown Listed scorer Falcon Eight looks just the sort who should be reaching his peak this season as a five-year-old.

The in-form Jessica Harrington, Shane Foley and Zhang Yuesheng axis struck with former Aidan O'Brien-trained performer Masteroffoxhounds earlier this week at Naas and the same combination will be hoping to hit the target again with Barbados, runner-up in last year's Queen's Vase for Ballydoyle.

He remains open to improvement but has 9lb to find on ratings with Twilight Payment, a similar scenario to the one facing Jim Bolger's Trossachs, who was extremely progressive last season.

Ger Lyons' Nickajack Cave has plenty to find on ratings, while useful hurdler Daybreak Boy makes his first Flat start since July 2018.

Barbados was just touched off by Dashing Willoughby in last year's Queen's Vase at Royal AscotCredit: Alan Crowhurst

What they say

Dermot Weld, trainer of Falcon Eight
He's in good form and training well. He's a good stayer and we're looking towards the second half of the season with him. We hope there's more to come from him.

Emmet Mullins, trainer of Oriental Eagle
We gave him a run at Lingfield in January when he was a bit disappointing, but hopefully we've figured him out a bit better now. I don't see the ground being an issue and he's won over the trip.

Joseph O'Brien, trainer of Twilight Payment
He's been in good shape since his run in Saudi Arabia and his rating should give him a solid chance. He's a course-and-distance winner and the good ground should be in his favour.

Jessica Harrington, trainer of Barbados
Like Masteroffoxhounds, he was due to go to abroad before the pandemic. He's a lovely horse to have with us.

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