Red Letter the one to beat in Cairn Rouge but soft conditions set to suit some rivals

Red Letter has not yet delivered on the promise of her juvenile campaign, but she still rates the one to beat in the Listed Cairn Rouge Stakes, particularly if she takes another step forward on her third start of the season.

The daughter of Frankel had an excellent two-year-old campaign, finishing second to Lake Victoria on her debut before bolting up in a Curragh maiden and being beaten a length and a half into fourth in a red-hot edition of the Moyglare Stud Stakes. 

Red Letter then began this season with a seventh-placed finish in the 1,000 Guineas, a race that didn't pan out ideally for her as she raced away from the main group, but there was little disgrace in being beaten less than three lengths. 

She couldn't reel in Barnavara in the Kooyonga Stakes at Navan last month, but the pair pulled nicely clear and the winner followed up in Group 3 company next time. Easier ground shouldn't pose any issue and she's the most likely winner.

The more rain the better for the Joseph O'Brien-trained Wannabe Royal, who was very impressive when dashing six-lengths clear in a Limerick maiden on soft ground in April. She has four lengths to make up on Red Letter from Navan, but if the ground is soft she could go a long way to closing that gap.

Fiery Lucy finished fourth in what looked a decent renewal of the Celebration Stakes last time. That run is also worth marking up as her momentum was checked two furlongs out on a day when it wasn't easy to make up ground from the rear. However, she wouldn't want the ground to ease too much.

Ecstatic should be thereabouts dropping back to a mile for the first time since a good second to One Look in April, while Orchidaceae powered home to land a Fairyhouse handicap last month and should appreciate stepping up to a mile on that evidence.

O'Brien runs three, and his And So To Bed could reward each-way support. She split the talented pair of Giselle and Whirl on soft ground at the Curragh in October and can show her best dropped back to a mile.

Going latest

The ground was yielding to soft, soft in places on Tuesday following 6mm of rain overnight. There is the possibility of up to 7mm of rain before racing gets under way.

What they say

Joseph O'Brien, trainer of Wannabe Royal, And So To Bed and Mojave River
Wannabe Royal has been running very well and she'll enjoy a bit of juice in the ground. And So To Bed is fit and well and will like softer conditions. A mile here would be as short as she'd like, but it'd be nice to get some more black type. It looks like a good spot for Mojave River, who is in the right zone ratings-wise, but she wouldn't want any more rain.

Gavin Cromwell, trainer of Fiery Lucy
The race didn't work out for her at the Curragh last month, nor did it at Musselburgh the time before. She's in good form, but with the ground on the soft side it could be an issue. That's far from ideal, particularly over this trip.

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