Horses to follow in Ireland including Aidan O'Brien-trained Italy

CONTRARY TO LAW (Johnny Murtagh)

Contrary To Law shaped better than the bare result on the first day of the season. With a hood on for the first time, he was held up by Ben Coen and had no real chance of winning the race but, after being switched towards the stands' side, it was quite pleasing how he stayed on in the final furlong.

The first run back and additional experience could really set him up for upcoming engagements as he relaxed and did things nicely through the race on this occasion. It'll be interesting to see where connections go trip-wise, he's a half-brother to Irishcorrespondent who went on to be a star in Hong Kong under the name of Exultant and trainer Johnny Murtagh is likely to place him to good effect in handicaps, most likely over a mile in the fulness of time.

KENOUGH (Joseph O'Brien)

Kenough was fifth on debut at the Curragh on the first day of the season, this race having already produced winners including the third Shaftesbury Avenue.

Kenough was a winner of a trial for different connections last August and he made a pleasing start on the track proper, keeping on well and looking like he'd learn a lot from the experience.

With him appearing to handle the ground well in the trial last summer, he should be well up to winning a maiden in the coming weeks.

UM WADI (Joseph O'Brien)

Um Wadi made an encouraging start for new connections at Leopardstown last September, after which she was fancied to win at Navan but was reported to have bled when disappointing that day.

She made her return to action on the all-weather at Dundalk late last month and was held up early on. She faced a tough task from the top of the home straight, but stayed on to be a fast-closing third.

Given what happened at Navan, it was pleasing how she hit the line and if connections can get her to build on that, her mark of 78 looks exploitable.

PRIORSTOWN (Johnny Murtagh)

The aforementioned Shaftesbury Avenue won his maiden at Navan on March 30 and could be a nice horse but there were a couple to note out of this event too, none more so than Johnny Murtagh's Priorstown.

Murtagh also had the second in Tashakour, but there was a lot to like about the performance of this gelding back in sixth. He showed greenness and inexperience but the manner in which he finished off late on suggested the penny was about to drop.

Murtagh trained his half-sister Annerville who was Listed placed over 12 furlongs and Priorstown will surely be going up in distance as the season progresses. He could become quite a nice premier handicap type later in the year.

ITALY (Aidan O'Brien)

The Ballysax Stakes featured a battalion of Aidan O'Brien runners and while it was disappointing Pierre Bonnard didn't live up to expectations on this occasion, the stable still had the first two, with Christmas Day beating the front-running Endorsement.

However, it may well be the performance of the fourth home Italy who pleased connections most given it looked quite hard to make up ground on the day.

He beat Leopardstown Group 3 winner Thesecretadversary on debut last year and after being second in the Superlative Stakes at the July meeting and second again in the Acomb at York, he looked awkward to ride on his next couple of starts, hanging under pressure in the National Stakes at the Curragh.

With those latter efforts in mind, it was interesting to see him stepped up in trip with a hood on for his comeback run. Having settled well, he made up decent ground on the far side of the track which may not have been the place to be.

He looked like he'd improve a lot and given this promising start, it'll be interesting to see where connections run him in the future in terms of distance. It could be that something like the French Derby is considered a realistic option providing he goes the right way from his seasonal debut.

PIERRE GROSS (Jessie Harrington)

Leopardstown's three-year-old handicap is traditionally very strong and the first two look promising types. But it was the performance of the third home, Pierre Grosse, who caught my eye.

This son of Palace Pier showed promise in three starts last year and, making his return to action, he was forced right out towards the middle of the track when most of the runners came wide in the straight and towards the stands' side.

He ran on well without being knocked about by his rider and he should, with the benefit of the run, have a nice future ahead of him. Perhaps even stepping up to a mile and a half will unlock further improvement at some stage.

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