Bedtime Story The Star Attraction As Juveniles Take Centre Stage At Leopardstown And Sandown

Thursday's stakes action centres on a trio of juvenile heats at Leopardstown and Sandown, with runaway Listed Chesham Stakes victrix and 'TDN Rising Star' Bedtime Story (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) the star attraction in the G3 Jockey Club of Turkey Silver Flash Stakes over an extended seven furlongs at the Foxrock track. The five-runner field also features her Aidan O'Brien stablemate Exactly (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and last month's G2 Airlie Stud Stakes fourth Barnavara (Ire) (Calyx {GB}), from the Jessica Harrington yard.

Ballydoyle is also represented by another 'TDN Rising Star' morning-line favourite in the Japan Racing Association Tyros Stakes. The twice-raced Surpass (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) justified odds-on favouritism when notching an impressive three-length triumph at Tipperary last month and will head postward at cramped odds for the second of two Group 3 contests on the card. He is set to be accompanied by stablemate Swagman (Ger) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), who claimed a narrow victory at Naas earlier in the month, and Joseph O'Brien trainee Scorthy Champ (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), who comes back off a 69-day break after shedding maiden status at this venue in May. The six-runner-field also includes Newtown Anner Stud's undefeated homebred Beckman (Ire) (Beckford {GB}).

Aidan O'Brien is the winningmost trainer in both contests, with 13 prior victories in the Silver Flash and a whopping 16 wins in the Tyros.

All but one of 11 entries for Sandown's Listed EBN Star Stakes are previous winners with Juddmonte's likely favourite Flaming Stone (GB) (Kingman {GB}) seeking to confirm the promise of an impressive four-length tally in a Newbury novices' heat last month. “She won well and it might not have been the strongest contest, but she hit the line well and the runner-up ran well next time when second at Newmarket,” commented Juddmonte racing manager Barry Mahon. “She looked good and Oisin Murphy was very complimentary of her. It's the next stepping stone now, into stakes company, and she will hopefully go there and have a good chance. It's a lovely time on the calendar for her to try for some black type and then there's a whole host of lovely fillies' Group races coming up later in the year. Hopefully she will be able to step up to this kind of level and then we can keep moving up the ladder slowly.”

The Andrew Balding trainee's opponents include the hitherto undefeated Anshoda (Ire) (Inns Of Court {Ire}), The Terminus (Ire) (Too Darn Hot {GB}) and Del Ray (GB) (Kameko), with the latter bidding to become her freshman sire's first black-type scorer.