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A look ahead to Naas on Sunday

Pink DogwoodPink Dogwood
© Photo Healy Racing

Aidan O’Brien could let Pink Dogwood make a swift reappearance in the Weld Park Stakes at Naas on Sunday.

The seven-furlong contest is the first of four Group races on a quality card in County Kildare, with the Beresford Stakes the feature event.

After filling the runner-up spot on her first two starts at the Curragh, Pink Dogwood opened her account with a facile success at Gowran Park on Saturday — and O’Brien is open to the idea of running her again this weekend.

He said: “We’ll just see how Pink Dogwood is over the next couple of days, but it is very possible she will run at Naas on Sunday.

“Hermosa could possibly go for that race with her.”

Hermosa and Pink Dogwood are two of four entries in the Weld Park for O’Brien, along with Just Wonderful and Peach Tree.

The second Group Three of the afternoon is the Loughbrown Stakes, in which the O’Brien-trained Idaho could play a starring role.

After finishing third behind Stradivarius in both the Goodwood Cup and the Lonsdale Cup at York, the five-year-old was a little disappointing when only fifth in the Irish St Leger on his latest start.

O’Brien added: “Idaho is a possible runner in the Loughbrown Stakes and Cypress Creek, The Pentagon, Victory Salute or Zabriskie could go with him.”

The Ballydoyle quintet feature among 16 remaining entries for the two-mile contest, with Dermot Weld’s unbeaten colt Falcon Eight and Twilight Payment from Jim Bolger’s yard other notable contenders.

A total of 18 sprinters are in the mix for the Group Three Renaissance Stakes.

Tom Hogan could send stable stalwart Gordon Lord Byron into battle just eight days after finishing fifth in the Czech Republic, while Sioux Nation is the most high-profile name among O’Brien’s seven possible runners.

Roger Varian’s Laugh A Minute and the Karl Burke-trained Unfortunately are potential challengers from Britain.