Bishan Bedi can bash up Dundalk rivals for O'Brien

The 17-year-old has won on four of his 12 rides to date this month, including when his father Aidan's Bishan Bedi absolutely skated up to initiate a brace for him here last week, when he was also placed on two shorter-priced favourites.

On his first start for O'Brien since being acquired out of William Jarvis' yard for a modest £5,500, Bishan Bedi made a mockery of his handicap rating of 65. He reappears tonight over a furlong further in the mile handicap off a stone higher mark, and he isn't easily opposed.

The Intikhab four-year-old looked to have at least that much in hand, so he is fancied to defy joint top-weight under his seven-pound-claiming rider.

The long-legged apprentice is also trusted to deliver the night's nap vote aboard Shinyhappyjohn for James Nash, who has always supported the O'Brien siblings.

Shinyhappyjohn is on duty in the six-furlong handicap, a competitive 14-runner affair that will doubtless take a bit of winning. However, all the pieces look to have fallen into place for the Captain Gerard gelding here.

Placed three times last summer off marks of between 52 and 57, Shinyhappyjohn retuned for a first time since August to finish strongly when beaten just half a length in third over five furlongs here three weeks ago.

He ran off 50 on that occasion under Pat Smullen, so he has huge appeal now off an effective rating of 43, given that O'Brien is such good value for his claim. Shinyhappyjohn is entitled to come on a little for the outing, and the return to this trip will suit ideally.

From the box seat in stall one, then, he may never get a better chance to break his maiden.

O'Brien also has the distinction of riding Charlie Swan's final runner as a trainer, Moving On Up, in the three-year-olds' mile handicap.

Moving On Up has a definite chance after finishing second on her handicap bow last month, but just preferred is Shane Donohoe's Coral Cluster under Tom Madden, another decent claimer.

Cavan-based Donohoe's horses have been running well, and this Intense Focus filly ran a nice race when third to Whip Up A Frenzy on her handicap bow over seven furlongs in December.

That was just Coral Cluster's fourth run, so she should improve again, with the extra furlong here expected to suit.

In the two-mile maiden, Terence O'Brien's Connor King-ridden Viaduct Joey probably has as good an opportunity as he is going to get to win on the level, while the 2013 champion apprentice also gets the nod to collect on David Marnane's old warrior Almadaa in the six-furlong handicap.

This is a cracking contest, with recent winners Togoville, Grey Danube and Indian Landing all deserving of serious respect. Almadaa ran his best race for some time when second here two weeks ago, and he looks well capable of winning off his current mark.