Gowran Park, Wednesday 22 April 2026 — Soft To Heavy Tips

Gowran Park, Wednesday 22 April 2026 — Soft To Heavy Tips

Gowran is a fair, galloping track that rewards staying power and horses that genuinely handle cut in the ground. With soft to heavy conditions across the card, anything that has proven form on testing going moves right to the top of the shortlist. Joseph Patrick O'Brien's yard has been firing at better than 1-in-5 over the past fortnight, and the stable has a documented record in the fillies handicap that demands attention. Three featured races, three selections worth your money.

4:48 — Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Maiden (1m, Soft To Heavy)

Selection: Perisher (10/3 Bet365, 3/1 William Hill) ridden by Declan McDonogh for Joseph Patrick O'Brien.

This is a wide-open maiden but Perisher brings the most solid form to the table. Three runs last year showed real promise, and crucially one of those came on heavy ground at Listowel. The gelding operation before his handicap return 18 days ago was a positive move, and he ran a tidy race in first-time cheekpieces, finishing 2.25 lengths third to Empty Wallet. That form looks solid. Stepping back to a maiden off that confidence-building run, with O'Brien in form, and on ground that suits, this looks a fair price.

The main market rival is Keogie at 7/2, who was a creditable 2.5-length second on heavy at the Curragh and should stay the mile well. Colin Keane takes the ride, which you respect, but Perisher has more experience and the cheekpieces can bring improvement again.

5:18 — Gowran Park Golf Club Maiden (7f, Soft To Heavy)

Selection: Go Just Do It (8/15 Bet365) ridden by J M Sheridan for Joseph Patrick O'Brien.

This is a short-field, small-price race but it is hard to construct a case against Go Just Do It on form. Three runs as a two-year-old produced Group-level efforts, including a placed finish in a Group 2 behind Constitution River and a narrow second to Trojan Warrior. That is a genuine level of form that dwarfs anything else in this seven-runner field. He handles soft ground, the yard is in form, and a drop back into a maiden after that class of campaign means this should be well within his compass.

Sindagan at 2/1 is the only realistic threat. The gelding ran a solid race back 31 days ago and the form of that race has strengthened. First-time cheekpieces could sharpen him up further. But Go Just Do It is the more talented horse on the figures, and at a low price in a race of this size, he belongs at the head of the market.

No each-way badge here given the odds and the small field. Win only.

5:48 — Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Handicap (7f, Soft To Heavy)

Selection: Greydreambeliever Each-Way (10/3 William Hill, 10/3 Coral) ridden by Ronan Whelan for Joseph Patrick O'Brien.

The O'Brien stable has won four of the last five renewals of this race. That alone puts their three runners under the spotlight, and Greydreambeliever looks the pick of the trio at a competitive price.

She was sourced for 30,000gns from Britain and made a highly encouraging debut for the yard just 14 days ago at this very track, finishing 4.25 lengths behind stablemate Sindria in soft ground over a mile. That was a first run for the barn, she stays the course, she stays the ground, and now she drops to seven furlongs which the Spotlight suggests should suit her profile. A 3lb penalty is modest if she is progressing.

The market will be noisy with three runners from the same yard, which can mean some price drift on the less-fancied options. Greydreambeliever at 10/3 represents the standout each-way proposition in an 11-runner handicap.

Glory To Be is not dismissed. She won at Leopardstown over 7f just seven days ago and comes here off the back of that confidence. But she is up 6lb and faces a stiff ask on that sort of turnaround. Varshini at 9/2 also has course-and-distance form and ran close at the Curragh recently, but the O'Brien angle makes Greydreambeliever the call.

Today's NAP