EKLIM (38) showed that he's a useful horse in the right conditions when ploughing through bottomless ground to take a Listed race at Tralee. If the current weather pattern holds he can win again.

HOLY ORDERS STILL HAS IT

HOLY ORDERS (40) is an entertaining horse. He gave the Australian press a lot of fun when repeatedly refusing to set foot on the track when preparing for the Melbourne Cup. And he's shown some interesting little quirks in his races too. However, give him a smallish field (a dozen or less starters), going softer than good and a long distance (more than a mile and a half) and he'll beat just about anything - as long as he's in the mood. In fact he's now won seven times out of ten in these circumstances.

I'd like to see Holy Orders have a crack at the Irish leger. That would give him a real shot of adding a Group 1 win on the flat to his Grade 1 win over hurdles. It looks likely his next big target will be the Doncaster Cup, providing the ground is soft enough. Wherever he goes I know it will be tempting to ignore him because of his in and out form. But if the ground is soft, the distance long and the field small you'll do so at your peril.

MKUZI (38) did really well to chase Holy Orders home and has been very unlucky to come up against seriously smart Group racers in Listed company on his last two starts. But for that he would have won his last four starts and has clearly improved massively for the step up to longer trips.

MAHARIB (38) stayed on well to take third and has clearly recovered from whatever made him run so badly on his last run two months ago. He was a highly progressive sort last season and looks likely to start winning again soon. He's a fresh horse thanks to the enforced break, which gives him an edge over many of his rivals at this time of year.

HIGH PRIESTESS (37) blew her official handicap mark of 86 by running a good fourth. So it's understandable that her connections aim to rush her back quickly at Tralee on the 25th for one final run off her old rating. She'd won all three previous times she'd had a vaguely recent race and gone a middle distance or longer. So I'd say her chances at Tralee are pretty darned big. Later she's surely going to make up into a useful novice hurdler if her trainer puts her back over timber.

Over jumps OH SO LIVELY (36) ran a decent time over fences at Cork. With a bit of racing luck he would now have won his last four chases and is beginning to look a rather useful novice. He won with quite a bit in hand here apparently so may well be capable of running a bit quicker. He looks to be ludicrously well handicapped still, so his connections will surely stick to handicap company for his next few starts. He's going to be tough to beat since he seems to act on any surface or type of track and is pretty versatile as to distance as well - but that's probably because he's still racing well within himself. No doubt when he starts tackling better opposition he'll begin to show preferences for certain conditions.

NOAHS ARK IS ONE OF TOP 3YO FILLIES

Over the years I've seen some amazingly fast times run in unexpected races. One that fits firmly into this category is the huge speed figure earned by NOAHS ARK (40) in a valuable handicap at Leopardstown.

Clearly Noahs Ark appreciated the step up to ten furlongs. Equally, I suspect she appreciated the firm ground. She's now won three of the four times she's raced on ground where the word firm was in the official going description. The sole loss was a second to the very smart Tropical Lady over nine furlongs which may well be a bit short for her.

Given the weather at this time of year, it's tough to be sure that Noahs Ark will get suitably firm ground for her next start. It might be that she'll handle it anyway. In any event I'd love to see her in a Group race next time where she'd have a major chance whatever the make up of the field. She earned one of the biggest speed ratings I've given a three year old filly all season.

Runner-up HIGH REEF (38) is a filly I've mentioned before. She keeps running second to Group class horses in these valuable handicaps. I can see why her connections want to protect her ludicrously low official handicap mark by avoiding a switch to Listed or Group company. But she's fast enough to win some black type and that would boost her stud value fantastically. She'd be something of a good thing to win a Listed race against her own sex and would have a good shot in a Group 3. But in these terrifically valuable Premier handicaps she's always apt to come up against a very smart horse that's even better handicapped than she is.

CALORANDO (38) did well to run third to Noahs Ark and is clearly improving. He's still a relatively fresh horse, having had just four runs this term. I'd be looking for him to win a similar race soon.

Another horse to note from the same meeting is the three year old MEDIA ASSET (37) who ran an unusually fast time for a 50-80 handicap when beating a big field. It looks like he improved for the step up from sprint trips. I'd be wary of opposing him next time.

ACE (40) banged out exactly the same speed figure as last time when maintaining his unbeaten record in the Desmond stakes. He confirmed the view that he is Coolmore's best three year old by beating the smart HAMIARI (38) two lengths into second place.

It's tough to say how good Ace really is till he tackles Group 1 company. But I'd give him a pretty decent chance in the QEII.

Hamairi was unlucky in running when half a length second to Naahy in a Group 3 last time out. He was again unlucky to come up against what is probably a Group 1 horse in another Group 3 here. He may well get ten furlongs seeing how he consistently stays on at the end of his races, as he did when stepped up to a mile here. I suspect he may be under rated following these two defeats, so he'd be a good bet to win a Group 2 or 3 contest soon.

How good is OPRINGTON (37)?. He romped a decent handicap at Gowran Park and scored equally easily in his only previous try at a middle distance. This is a three year old with a future I suspect. He's already run a Listed class time her and is going to be tough to beat next time.

Over jumps ROLLING HOME (34) ran an unusually fast time for an early season juvenile hurdler to win at Tramore. He ought to be able to win several races in the near future. Runner up GRANGEHILL DANCER (32) looks a good thing to break his duck over hurdles very soon too.

ONE NIGHT OUT (38) continued on his merry way, winning for the fourth time in his last five starts at Tramore. He's a very decent novice chaser, and better than anything he's likely to meet in the off season. You won't get much of a price about him in his upcoming starts, but I'd be careful about siding against him.

CARADAK LOOKS SMART

The three tear old CARADAK (38) earned a Group class speed figure when beating older rivals in a Cork Listed race over a mile.

Caradak ran a speed rating of 23 on his debut. He jumped up to 33 when he broke his maiden next time and bettered that rating by five points here. Clearly he's improving. And his trainer John Oxx explained why after the race; "Caradak has made a lot of progress since his debut only three weeks ago. He's a gross sort and needed a couple of races to tune him in. We'll have to see if he can improve a bit more."

Caradak wouldn't have to improve that much more to have a shot in the very best races. Right now all we can say is that he's Group class. I'd be wary of opposing him in a Group 3 next time.

PALACE STAR (37) and AMOURALLIS (37) are useful three year old fillies. Both ran solid Listed class times when fighting out the finish of a valuable handicap at the Galway Festival.

Palace Star's trainer felt the drying ground suited his charge. And it's interesting to note that this was the filly's fourth win in five tries beyond six furlongs on fast ground. She ought to be able to pick up some black type, as should Amourallis. Amourallis clearly improved for the step up to a mile and remains very well handicapped. Like the winner, she ought to be able to win in LIsted company at some point.