Listowel horse racing tips for day three of the Festival

Master Of The Hunt might get punters off to a winning start by taking the Irish Stallion Farms EBF 2-Y-0 Maiden in Listowel.

This No Nay Never colt is trained by Aidan O’Brien, who has won two of the last three runnings of this race, shaped with plenty of promise on his Curragh debut and sets a decent standard boosted by the 5lb claim of Killian Hennessy.

He made his debut in a seven-furlong maiden on Oaks weekend at headquarters and ran a cracker to finish third behind classy, odds-on stable-companion Henry Longfellow, who has since landed the Futurity (Group 2) and National Stakes (Group 3).

The form has also been boosted by the subsequent wins of Mythology (Second) and Ocean Conquest ( fourth). On that evidence, and expected to take a step forward, Master Of The Hunt should take plenty of beating, although
Donnacha O’Brien’s Starliner also boasts solid form – he has been placed in all three starts but might lack the same scope for improvement.

We have no Frankie Dettori in Listowel, but proud Kerry man Oisin Murphy will have his first rides at the North Kerry venue, among them Aidan O’Brien’s Old Faithful in the fascinating Irish Stallion Farms EBF 2-Y-0 Rated Race – which has replaced the premier nursery on this year’s card.

Murphy has prospects on all for rides. But this Siyouni colt, a beaten odds-on favourite when third to Instant Appeal on his second start (Gowran Park) is his best chance. A mixture of inexperience and a tendency to hang left cost him in Gowran, a disappointing effort following his hugely encouraging debut third to stable-companion and subsequent Group 2 winner Diego Velazquez at the Curragh.

Old Faithful looks more than capable of winning a maiden. And it’s significant O’Brien sends him for this rated event, facing five previous winners, including the Ger Lyons-trained pair Spanish Flame and Curragh debut winner Tamrat, plus a trio of nursery winners.

Receiving weight from four of his rivals, Old Faithful should take plenty of beating.

Johnny Murtagh has double prospects with tough and consistent Blues Emperor, winner of a mile maiden at this festival last year, in the listed Edmund & Josie Whelan Listowel Stakes and top-weight Esquiline in the concluding Jet, Peggy & Eamon O’Carroll Memorial Handicap.

A reliable performer, beaten a neck by Coeur D’or in the Irish Cambridgeshire last time, Blues Emperor has a bit to find on figures with the likes of Kingswood, but appeals as an each-way prospect.

And there’s similar advice for Esquiline, narrowly denied by Youcrackmeup at the Curragh last time and a progressive filly who should have no problem with this test of stamina.

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