Park Express Stakes (Group 3) Preview

With the dust barely settled on the Cheltenham Festival we are straight into the flat season here in Ireland with the turf campaign kicking off at the Curragh on Sunday. In truth, a watching brief is the best advice over the opening couple of meetings as we assess which stables have their strings forward enough to do themselves justice. Latching onto some of the smaller stables that have winners in the first week or two can often prove profitable.

The Park Express Stakes, a group 3, over a mile is the feature race on day one of the flat season. The obvious call here would be Devoted To You from the Ballydoyle stable, but as we have seen in the Cotswolds all week it often pays to look outside the obvious.

Aidan O’Brien has been slow to come to hand the last few seasons and gives his horses plenty of time to find their form. It is often the Guinneas meeting in May before one can start to follow team Ballydoyle with confidence. Although Devoted To You is the most likely winner of Sunday’s contest it may be worth considering two fillies who are more exposed but far more likely to be at their peak for this race.

Pollen won the big Lincoln handicap on the corresponding card last season and her stable(Tommy Stack) usually hit the ground running. The filly will appreciate any cut in the ground and has to go close here. The alternative is Pat Martins Indiana Gal who has been ploying her trade in Dubai the past few months and will lack nothing in terms of fitness. At home on testing ground she is only a couple of pounds behind the best of this opposition and looks set to go very close.

Summary: While Devoted To You is the best filly in the lineup, she may benefit from the run and at bigger prices, Pollen and Indiana Gal appeal as eachway selections.