Rapid filly Dun Na Sead bids to take the step up in class in her stride in the Listed Abergwaun Stakes

Away from a high-class Group 3 Fairy Bridge Stakes, Tipperary also hosts a couple of other intriguing contests, none more so than the Listed Abergwaun Stakes.

It has proved a difficult contest to secure in the past when you consider no trainer has won it more than once in the last decade and that statistic is likely to be extended today as Kieran Cotter, Michael O'Callaghan and David Marnane hold strong chances of bagging their maiden victory in the €40,000 contest. 

Cotter's Dun Na Sead is well entitled to a crack at this level given she has been running admirably off some hefty weights in sprint handicaps of late. The four-year-old has an uncomplicated way of racing in that she goes gung-ho from the moment the stalls open and could be tough to reel in.

Cotter said: "She has been running well off big weights. She's rated 90 now so we said we would give it a go and see if we could get a bit of black-type.

"She should have a chance of getting in the money, although we wouldn’t want too much rain and stall one hasn’t been the ideal draw at Tipperary in the past. She’s very, very quick and a flat 5f is ideal for her."

David Marnane's Lady Tilbury is seemingly a bit of a home-bird as she tends to save her best for her local track at Tipperary. The three-year-old has a perfect record here from three starts, the latest of which only came last month when she kept on nicely to beat Harmony Rose by half a length.

She found it difficult to land a blow in a Naas Group 3 last weekend but the return to this track and the drop in grade and trip should see her in the mix, although she may want the rain to stay away.

Twilight Jet is another contender who has a 100 per cent record at the track having won on his only start here back in June 2021. The four-year-old has been lightly-raced in the last two campaigns since making a promising return to action when running out an impressive winner of the Group 3 Lacken Stakes in May of last year. 

He was well-held in three subsequent starts but he showed plenty of spark when travelling powerfully in a Listed contest at the Curragh last time out before fading into sixth. That represented a step in the right direction and first-time blinkers are an interesting addition.

The 7½f conditions race at 3.10 also sees the participation of some interesting types. Jessica Harrington's Quar Shamar slightly disappointed at Ascot when last seen but acquitted himself with plenty of credit when sixth in the Irish 2,000 Guineas the time before that. 

Drop The Anchor landed the valuable November Handicap when last seen on the Flat and this looks an ideal step towards the Irish Cesarewitch later in the month, while useful hurdler Filey Bay drops markedly in trip after scoring in a maiden over 2m at Tramore last month.

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