The Tracey Collins-trained Captain Joy winning at Dundalk© Photo Healy Racing
The action goes up a gear at Dundalk on Friday evening with two Fast-Track Qualifiers for the All-Weather Championships Finals Day which takes place at Lingfield Park on Good Friday, April 3.
The winner of the Carragher's XL Castleblayney Race is guaranteed a place in the £150,000 Ladbrokes Mile on Finals Day, and Captain Joy turns out at Dundalk despite having already secured a place in that valuable event by virtue of winning a qualifier at Lingfield back in January.
The Tracey Collins-trained gelding simply loves it on the Polytrack at Dundalk having recorded all six previous career wins at this venue.
However, the six-year-old will not have it all his own way as he faces Jim Bolger's Paene Magnus, a dual winner of the Listed Carlingford Stakes at this venue, and the 108-rated Producer.
The former Richard Hannon-trained Producer enjoyed his finest hour back in 2013 when landing the Group Two International Topkapi Trophy in Turkey, and is now in the care of Dermot Weld having been snapped up by Brad Kelley's Calumet Farm.
Recent course winners Grey Danube and Togoville add further spice, while the seven-runner line-up is completed by Bold Thady Quill and Rummaging.
The www.valuecentre.ie Race is a Fast-Track Qualifier for the £200,000 Coral Easter Classic, and Bolger should have the answer to this extended 10-furlong race with Parish Hall.
The son of Teofilo was a leading contender for Classic honours back in 2012 having won the Dewhurst Stakes but missed out on his entire three-year-old campaign due to injury.
He has been a consistent Stakes race performer in the intervening years though, landing two Group Three events including the Diamond Stakes over this course and distance.
Dermot Weld is doubly represented with riding arrangements suggesting Behesht, a €525,000 purchase out of Alain de Royer Dupre's yard, is preferred to Italian Grade 1 winner Vedelago.
Shalaman and Whipper's Boy, separated by a neck here last month, renew rivalry while Hold The Line completes the six-runner line-up.
