Irish Derby finalist Emers Superstar locks horns with Boherna Pedro, the fastest heat winner in the second round of the Thurles Fresh Milk Tipperary Cup over 525 yards at Thurles on Saturday.
Gerry Holian’s Emers Superstar was in the wars at the first turn last week and never had chance to show his best but his draw on the fence could work in his favour.
Liam Dwan’s Boherna Pedro clocked the fastest time of the year last week with 28.59sec when making an unusually fast break and another fast start will make him hard to hold.
Star Ace is fancied to land the fourth qualifier. He completed a treble last week when dead-heating with Torpeys Ace in 29.02sec.
He is better judged on the 28.70sec he clocked before the event got underway, which was at the time the best of the year.
Curious Boy, the winner of the Kerry Hospital Stake at Tralee in 28.28sec, is the biggest threat.
Black Tom can take the opening qualifier. Declan Byrne’s runner, who clocked 28.99sec in his heat and was third in the McCalmont Cup at Kilkenny, can soon be in the driving seat.
Tynwald Rodney has been disappointing since clocking the fastest time in the heats of the Scottish Derby, but is a huge threat at his best.
Wheres The Sugar, a winner of five of his last six races for Pat Guilfoyle, is fancied to land the second qualifier. He scored last week in 29.16sec and can hold the likes of Lemon Miley and Greenane Rocco.
