UK Horse Racing Tips: Limerick

Testing ground conditions could swing things WANNABE ROYAL's favour and she has good recent form. By a top stallion and out of a Group 3 winner, she showed ability at Dundalk and showed further progression when chasing home a smart Frankel-sired debut winner last month. Some of the other beaten Naas horses also had form and the selection can be counted upon to run well. Indigo Dream has better form and a higher rating, but is unproven on easy ground. She performed well in smart maidens last summer and wasn't beaten far in the Ingabelle Stakes in September but those runs were on good. Hanamaya is a half-sister to three Groups winners but holds no big race entries.
Prediction : 1st Wannabe Royal 2nd Indigo Dream 3rd Hanamaya

HOSTILITY could be inconvenienced by testing ground conditions but showed nice ability in three runs last season and contests a winnable maiden. Well-bred, he has been defeated by five useful Ballydoyle-trained runners and one other stablemate in his races to date. He has shown form on yielding ground at Listowel last September so it is hoped he can cope with today's likely easier surface. Raykir is very much proven on soft and while he holds Admiral Churchill (now tried in blinkers, having been gelded) on March form, was well held at Dundalk recently and might struggle to beat the selection.
Prediction : 1st Hostility 2nd Raykir 3rd Admiral Churchill

SHAOOL is drawn wide in 15 but has useful recent form. She was initially tried over middle-distances last year but seemed to show progression at this distance at Dundalk last month. Admittedly she might prefer a sounder surface but coped with heavy on her debut and has race-fitness on her side. Victoria Kesia narrowly holds Ina Mina on October's Gowran form and while both are exposed, each has shown ability on testing ground. Reappearing Ina Mina is an 11-race maiden but has run some useful races.
Prediction : 1st Shaool 2nd Victoria Kesia 3rd Ina Mina

THRIFTY OF DIGBY showed encouragement on her seasonal reappearance last month and is well suited by this distance and testing ground. Although well beaten on her last run of 2024, the manner in which she finished her recent Leopardstown race suggests she will progress further reverting back to today's more testing conditions. Better-drawn Martinelli has good recent form and is also ideally suited by these conditions. However, he is held by the selection on two runs last September and October. Counterculture appears best of the remainder.
Prediction : 1st Thrifty Of Digby 2nd Martinelli 3rd Counterculture

NAHORI debuts for a new yard having shown nice ability last year and has proven form on soft ground. A Dundalk debut winner in December 2023, she performed consistently well for most of last year and had plenty rivals behind her in her last three useful runs at the Curragh, with the latter being on soft. Tofino - nicely drawn in two - showed improvement on her handicap debut at the Curragh last September. A 120,000-euro yearling, she has a fine pedigree and while she lacks a little experience, is open to plenty progression. Venetian landed an all-weather gamble when all eyes were on Cheltenham in March and has winning form on soft ground.
Prediction : 1st Nahori 2nd Tofino 3rd Venetian

FORT VEGA ran well in two recent Curragh handicaps and is suited by soft ground. A half-brother to Classic-placed Vespertilio, the selection won twice last year and having run well in the Lincoln in March, again ran well over that same course-and-distance later that month. Artful Approach is similarly reliable. Initially tried in sprint handicaps, his form at this distance is very consistent and is just 1lb higher than at Leopardstown. He is generally held-up so today's inside draw is of no real benefit, but he has soft-ground form. Masoun and Lord Church are closely matched on a Cork meeting last June and while each did very well last year, might now prefer a longer distance.
Prediction : 1st Fort Vega 2nd Artful Approach 3rd Masoun

BAY COLONY performed well in two Stakes races last year and coped with testing ground on her reappearance. She has bumped into smart and high-class types in her career to date and while she steps up markedly in distance, has juvenile form at a mile so should get this trip. Diamond Exchange showed ability in finishing sixth in the Goffs Million last September but flopped on her seasonal reappearance. That recent Naas race was run on soft-to-heavy so softening ground would be concerning. Three of Jannah Star's full-siblings were black-type performers, including a Group 2 winner, and she holds an Irish Oaks entry.
Prediction : 1st Bay Colony 2nd Diamond Exchange 3rd Jannah Star

OUT FOR A STROLL has questions to answer after being pulled up over flights in Downpatrick at the end of March, but had been in good nick in that sphere beforehand and is of interest reverting to the Flat for a strong stable. Her victory in a Limerick maiden hurdle over Christmas was decent form. Fascinating Shadow showed more when fourth in Cork, while Master Garvey is another to consider after posting decent results on the Polytrack in Dundalk.
Prediction : 1st Out For A Stroll 2nd Fascinating Shadow 3rd Master Garvey