gowran park 12th Apr

There's a potentially informative card at Gowran Park on Thursday, with several promising maidens featuring at the eight-race fixture.

The Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden gets proceedings under way at 4.00 and sees the return to action of Soohaad, a half-sister to former top-notchers Haatef and Shimah, who showed plenty of the family talent when sixth in a Leopardstown maiden on her only appearance.

Her trainer Kevin Prendergast is represented by recent Limerick runner-up Emotional Dream in the Thomastown Maiden, but this is a competitive affair.

Statesmanship beat all bar Tugboat on his introduction last autumn and it is interesting that Jim Bolger is persevering with him for Shiekh Mohammed, while John Oxx takes the wraps off a stoutly-bred newcomer in the shape of the Aga Khan-owned Zafarqand.

Johnny Murtagh in the saddle would suggest that Waving is the pick of the Oxx pair in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden, although he will need to step up significantly from his first effort to trouble the judge.

Calgacus and Chicago were third and fifth respectively in a warm Leopardstown maiden just over two weeks ago, while Macbeth showed plenty of ability in two soft-ground events at Navan last back-end.

David Wachman throws three arrows at the Follow Gowran Park On Facebook Handicap, with Dundalk winner Queenscliff kept on a nice racing weight by the presence of stable companion Circumstances at the top of the list.

Whipless failed to feature in the Irish Lincolnshire at the Curragh and has his sights lowered for the Bennettsbridge Rated Race although, on official ratings, this is a tightly-knit affair.

Legendary Times let down favourite-backers at Cork last week but bids for quick compensation in the Kilkenny Handicap (Div 1), while the winner of Saturday's race, Night Singer, sets the standard in the second division.