There aren't too many obvious connections between today's Coronation Stakes and the Annagassen Maiden at Dundalk but Patruel does provide one and it can prove a successful one at that.
Skeikh Mohammed's filly is a daughter of the 1994 Coronation winner Kissing Cousin and the Arc winner Rainbow Quest so it's fair to say the Sheikh was thinking of rather more grand races than this evening's when breeding Patruel.
Nevertheless a winning bracket will do wonders for her stud value and Patruel showed enough on her only start last October when runner up to Garca Marquez at Gowran to suggest she's up to winning an ordinary maiden. And this race is just that.
One of the more promising young jockeys in the country is the Cork-born Wayne Lordan and the 5lb claimer can make up for a comparative drought with a double on Shamartini and Turtlena.
Lordan has gone over three weeks without a winner since Basin St Blues scored at the Curragh which is rather unusual considering his popularity with trainers this term.
Shamartini is twice a winner at Dundalk including giving Sandymount Alice a length and a half beating last time. The seven furlongs of the Clogerhead Handicap should not be a problem and Peter McCreery's charge is selected to beat the Laytown runner up Gloating.
Lordan rides Turtlena in the apprentice handicap for Pat Martin and the three-year-old showed enough when sixth to Liffeydale at Gowran that she has progressed from last year. The topweight Dromhall Lady, a course and distance winner, looks the danger.
Paul Carberry and Noel Meade look to have the winning of the opener with Atomic and will be hoping that Rhapsody Gale, the first reserve for the handicap hurdle, will get in. However this one looked to need all the three miles when landing the spoils at Down Royal and maybe the other scheduled topweight Master Hunter will be a better option.
