dundalk 23rd Nov

In Salutem tries for a deserved success in the opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden (6.00) at Dundalk on Friday night.

Ken Condon's youngster has hit the crossbar twice at this venue already in November, going under by a whisker on the most recent of those.

The drop back to the minimum distance is of mild concern and if he is found wanting for speed in the early stages, the one most likely to get away from him could be Murjanah, who has been freshened since an encouraging introductory effort at the Curragh back in the spring.

Jim Bolger sends a decent team to the all-weather circuit and the pick could be Mona Brown, who has blinkers on for the first time in the Crowne Plaza Hotel Race & Stay Maiden (Div 2).

Confident Cub is out to better his last-start Roscommon second for the Coolcullen handler in the second instalment of the Come On The Irish Stablestaff Handicap, but his stablemate Cul Bhaire will have to improve from his Irish Cesarewitch no-show when he takes on British raider Nanton in the Dundalk - Light Up Your Night Handicap.

Jim Goldie was quick to snap up the services of champion jockey Joseph O'Brien for his evergreen 10-year-old and he proved there is still life in the old dog when just touched off in the Mallard Handicap at Doncaster on his penultimate outing.

Benbecula showed a fair level of form for Richard Hannon and Andrew Tinkler has now switched him to Tommy Carmody's yard ahead of division one of the Crowne Plaza Hotel Race & Stay Maiden.

His jockey Niall McCullagh will also have high hopes for his mount Farmleigh House in the Ireland v England Stablestaff Soccer Handicap, while First Friday bids for compensation following last week's demotion in the Q Radio Network Apprentice Handicap.