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WITH the Grand National just around the corner, flat racing is beginning to rule the roost over its jumping counterparts and there is a pivotal meeting at Curragh this afternoon and also at Leopardstown tomorrow as the Irish boys begin to sort the wheat from the chaff as far as their Classic pretenders are concerned.

Epsom Derby third White Birch lines up for the Group Three Alleged Stakes (2.55) over a mile and a quarter, and as long as they don’t dawdle along, the heavy ground should make it a nice test of speed and stamina for the son of Ulysses. Still, I think that the winner of last year’s Ballysax Stakes was very disappointing post Epsom and I much prefer the claims of Joseph O’Brien’s lightly raced filly MAXUX.

Unlike her aforementioned rival, she finished last season on an upward curve culminating in an impressive success in a Group Three at Fairyhouse, when the daughter of Frankel seemed to relish the testing conditions on route to easily seeing off American Sonja to the tune of four-and-a-quarter lengths. Of course she needs to take another step forward here to land this quality renewal, but gets the vote over John Joseph Murphy’s charge and Mashoor.

Of the other races on the card at the Dublin track, there are some familiar old faces in the one-mile handicap due off at 3.25 with old boys like Current Option, Casanova, Sirjack Thomas and Loingseoir set to line up in a field of 10, but the one I like best is MR RANGO.

He was very well supported for his comeback race at Naas but could never quite get a shot at the frontrunners in the closing stages when a one paced six and a half lengths third of 16 behind Janobi. That run should have brought him forward sufficiently though and he can claim his third career win here over the extra 220 yards.

Later on, I have been waiting to see Aidan O’Brien’s QUILEVE make her three-year-old debut and she is set to reappear in the mile-and-a-quarter maiden fillies event at 4.35. The daughter of Make Believe looked an interesting prospect after making late headway on her only start as a juvenile over seven furlongs at Leopardstown and looks sure to be better suited by the extra yardage here.

In the back end handicaps, LAUGH A MINUTE will go to post tight fit for the six furlong event at 5.05 and can see off fellow top weight Big Gossey, while half an hour later take a chance on the jump up to a mile and a half for the first time having a positive effect on NOSTRINGSATTACHED (5.35). On each of his back end runs over 10 furlongs he finished off his races very well, and there is bundles of stamina on his dam’s side being out of Valmari, a Kalanisi mare.

The Roseberry Handicap (2.40) is the big betting race of the day in the UK at Kempton Park and this looks a wide open affair as it should be for the prize money on offer. Top weight Cemhaan looked just in need of his first run back when dropping out late on over the course and distance at the back end of January and has been has been dropped a pound by the assessor.

Still, he will have to give bundles of weight away to several well handicapped charges – the best of which could well be the lightly raced OLD HARROVIAN. Andrew Balding has his team in good from for the start of the flat season and this son of Sea The Stars possibly has his best days ahead of him with this being just his fifth start under rules.

Following two minor event victories at Lingfield and Wolverhampton last season, he was then sent off at 7/1 for the Group Three Aston Park Stakes at Newbury, but forfeited his chance by running way too freely in the opening exchanges, eventually dropping back to finish a well beaten sixth of seven behind Haskoy. The return to an artificial surface may well help and an opening handicap mark of 93 looks fair when you bare in mind that the best is probably yet to come.

The Queen’s Prize Handicap (3.15) has been saved from Musselburgh last week, but of course the nature of the race has changed radically from potentially being run on very deep ground at the Edinburgh track to the artificial surface here. That should suit the old boy Sleeping Lion who loves it around here and fellow C&D winner DUTY OF CARE.

Jamie Osborne’s charge has run three solid races this year off a mark of 91 at three all-weather tracks and this bigger field in what promises to be a truer run race should suit his style of running for this course and distance winner. He gets the nod ahead of the Paul Cole-trained Splendent and Solent Getaway, the latter having the advantage of a run already under his belt.

I am really looking forward to seeing VALVANO start his three-year-old campaign after putting up an impressive winning show on his sole start as a juvenile last year in the deep mud at Nottingham. I think Ralph Beckett has a really good team of youngsters this year and this Dante and Epsom Derby entry comes into the category of “could be anything” at this stage of the season. Currently a 50/1 shot for the big race, those odds could shorten drastically were he to take care of the likes of Charlie Appleby’s hat-trick and unbeaten Notable Speech and Native Warrior in good style.

Elsewhere today, I also like the look of WATCHYA at an each-way price in the Kempton 4.55, while over the sticks it may well pay to have a second look at the likes of ELVIS MAIL (Kelso, 3.00) and BLUE BEACH (Uttoxeter, 2.45). The last named has been running consistently well in some fair contests of late and over both fences and hurdles and a 2lbs rise for finishing a close up second behind Gilbertina at Market Rasen looks a fair enough call from the handicapper.