Tom Collins fancies a smart performer to get off the mark on Thursday

The Irish EBF Median Sires Series Maiden (2.35 Curragh) has attracted 17 runners, but don’t let the abundance of names distract you from the two standout performers.

Much like the majority of Irish maidens, there is plenty of dead wood among the talented prospects. There is very little to like on paper about the nine first-time starters - races aren’t won on paper, but it’s virtually impossible to make a strong enough case for them winning without being personally connected to one of them - and most of those with experience haven’t shown enough to warrant support.

Jessica Harrington’s Net A Porter Queen ran well enough on debut, but only achieved a RPR of 74 and the form is yet to be boosted. And, although McCauley’s Tavern has experience on his side, he’s already had seven attempts without success and his mark is almost certainly inflated.

There’s a good chance that this will become a match between Johnny Murtagh’s Clounmacon and Joseph O’Brien’s American Sonja, both of whom have been knocking on their door in their recent outings.

Clounmacon, a daughter of Kodi Bear out of two-time winning sprinter Cnocan Gold, is bred to succeed over this trip and has made a notably good start to her career. 

She made considerable progress from an unpromising position to be beaten in a headbob on debut, before filling the same second-place berth at Gowran Park behind Victoria Gold, who has subsequently won a Listed race and a Group 3 in France.

On that evidence, and the fact that she’s run to an RPR of 85 on both starts, she should break through pretty soon. But I’m slightly concerned that she didn’t take a big leap forward from her debut outing, especially given she was clueless in the first portion of that race, and the subsequent two-month layoff presents a question mark.

American Sonja, however, has undoubtedly progressed after each start. Like Clounmacon, she closed well from the off the pace on her debut before taking second on her next outing in a hot maiden at Naas. The winner has subsequently bolted up in Listed company, while the third won his next race and landed place money in the Group 3 Oh So Sharp Stakes last weekend.

With that in mind, it was perhaps a little disappointing that American Sonja couldn’t go one better last time over 7f here. But jockey Gary Halpin sent her for home very early and a lack of patience in the saddle led to her stamina ebbing away in the final 100 yards. Nevertheless, the ease in which she put three lengths between herself and the field with a couple of furlongs to run has to be noted.

American Sonja earned a RPR of 91 that day and a repeat should be good enough to beat this group, especially now that she drops back in trip. Soft ground will aid her cause - her sire, Tasleet, won the Group 2 Clipper Logistics on soft and finished second in a heavy ground Sprint Cup - and I love the jockey switch to Dylan Browne McMonagle.

She hasn’t gone unnoticed in the market, but there is still value in her price. The minimum I’d take is 2.2 (11/10).

Recommended bet

American Sonja (2.35 Curragh) @ 2.5