'She looks likely to win a maiden' - Justin O'Hanlon with the ones to watch from last week

Monotone
Trainer: Jim Bolger
3rd, 5f two-year-old maiden, Curragh, March 18

The opening meeting of the season at the Curragh is almost always filled with clues for the future and in the opening juvenile maiden this son of Verbal Dexterity caught the eye more than most.

Racing close up early on, he was soon outpaced and was struggling to make any impact until about a furlong out. Despite showing obvious signs of inexperience, he began to pick up late on and defied greenness to run on strongly up the hill without having any chance with the principals. Stepping up a furlong in trip combined with the certain improvement to come for this experience should mean he can go close in a similar maiden.