Previews

Racing on Friday evening - the start of the weekend wouldn't be the same without it. The stalls flip open at 6.25 for the first of seven races at Dundalk.

Today's richest race is the one with the least entries: the Horseware Ireland on Facebook Race, which brings the night’s action to a conclusion at 9.20, has a prize fund of €12,000 on offer.

There are just four entries but it’s quite a select quartet, led by 90-rated five-time Dundalk winner Solo Performer from the County Louth yard of Harry Rogers.

He has to give weight to all his rivals and Aidan O’Brien’s Flavia Tatiana, the four-year-old filly looking to build on a handicap success at the track last month, has been installed as the morning favourite, but Solo Performer only has to repeat his performance against that rival a few weeks ago to win again.

There’s a Tote Jackpot rollover of more than €9,000 (it’s one of just three bumper rollovers in Ireland and the UK today) and as always, that gets under way with the third race of the evening at 7.25.

As Dundalk Jackpots go, tonight’s four races don’t look the most difficult – for a start, there are none of the maximum field 14-runner handicaps that are often so prevalent at Ireland’s all-weather track.

A seven-furlong claiming maiden for three-year-olds gets the Tote Jackpot rolling, where Atticus Finch from the Eddie Lynam stable will bid to end a run of three successive seconds. Tommy Carmody’s Rasputin has been similarly consistent with three third place finishes in a row at Ayr last summer, but Atticus Finch could have the edge on form and fitness.

Lynam also has two leading contenders in the next race at 7.55, with Choral Society and Dimitar both fancied. Michael Grassick’s Elusive In Paris posted two good performances in a win and a third at Dundalk back in the autumn but he has to overcome a four-month absence to go in again here.

The 8.25, the www.dundalkstadium.com Handicap over six furlongs, looks the most open race on the card – eight of the ten contenders have won over the course and distance so this could be a pin-stickers job. We like the look of Almadaa, but it’s anyone’s guess.

If you played in the Jackpot and your ticket is still alive you’ll be starting to get excited around about now. (Who doesn’t get excited at around 9pm on a Friday night? Sure isn’t “Homeland” about to start on RTE...)

The final leg is the Winter Racing At Dundalk Apprentice Handicap over a mile and a half. Johnny’s Legacy and Silverlord are vying for favouritism first thing this morning but we’ll side with Jim Bolger’s General Bunching, a winner for this apprentice jockey at Dundalk last month.

Today’s racing - Dundalk’s 60-second selections:

6.25: Atmospheric High
6.55: Heir To The Mint
7.25: Atticus Finch
7.55: Dimitar
8.25: Almadaa
8.55: General Bunching
9.20: Solo Performer

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