Sound Of Lightning can make some noise at Navan

Irish Examiner

26-04-2025

Sound Of Lightning made quite a good impression on her racing debut and the filly can get off the mark at the second time of asking by taking the Irish Stallion Farms EBF 3YO Spring Series Median Auction Maiden, the sixth race on Saturday afternoon's card in Navan.
Trained by Donnacha O'Brien, the homebred Flaxman Stables filly is out of an unraced daughter to the brilliant Six Perfections, and she showed that she inherited plenty of ability when third on debut in a race won by J M's Joy.
That was four weeks ago, at the Curragh, and there is every reason to believe she can be considerably better this time. She was a little slow to find stride that day but made good progress into midfield before striding out well in the closing stages to take third spot.
Drawn low here, she has every opportunity to take up a more prominent and favourable position through the early stages of this race, and she can improve enough to account for the experienced pair, Nobler and Vorfreude, and the promising Reyenzi.
Zipster was a real eyecatcher on his recent return to the turf, at Leopardstown, and in the expectation of even better this time, he will go close in the Arkle Bar Handicap.
The remarkable Kyprios is bidding for a third win in the listed Bar One Racing Vintage Crop Stakes and, at odds of around 1-5, he is hardly a betting proposition.
This is a repeat of his start to last season, when he won here before going to the Saval Beg and on to the Gold Cup at Ascot, and onwards to a perfect season of seven wins. The seven-year-old is the standout stayer at the moment and has little to fear from his opponents here. Enfranchise and Leinster can push him closest.
The best race on the card is the Group 3 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Salsabil Stakes and while Catalina Delcarpio is raw in terms of experience — she made her debut just 17 days ago — she is an exciting sort and can take the step up in grade in her stride.
Well backed to make a winning start in what looked like a good maiden, she travelled strongly, made rapid progress around the final bend, and quickened away to win as she pleased. It was tremendously impressive and if she does not find this race coming too soon, she will take some beating.
Tarima has a similar profile and must be respected, while Ecstatic and Spicy Margarita have plenty of experience and are capable of hitting the frame.
The listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Committed Stakes is a bit of a puzzle, but Whistlejacket sets the standard on two-year-old form and will take beating if forward enough for his return.
He was a couple of lengths in front of stablemate Ides Of March, who re-opposes, when they met in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint and the Prix Morny winner can improve further this season.
He can take this at the expense of his old rival, while Bodhi Bear has race fitness on his side and the evidence of his comeback victory in Cork suggests he is upwardly mobile and has a profitable season in front of him.