DYLAN GETS ZEM IN AS LIFFEY FLOWS FOR PAT

Karl Hedley sets about spotting Irish talent ahead of Galway and Curragh highlights

- Karl Hedley

The Flat season is well and truly upon us and horses are gearing up towards the Galway Festival at the end of the month.

The seven-day extravaganza on Ireland's west coast will be welcoming thousands of racegoers who make the trip year after year. There are some excellent Group races at the Curragh this month too. I will take a run through those horses who have caught the eye over the last few weeks and who look likely to be heading to either track or beyond.

Elzem was a decisive winner of a decent-looking 6f maiden at Listowel at the beginning of the month.

Trained by Joseph O'Brien for Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, the winner raced prominently and went past front-runner Shimmy Jimmy over a furlong out. He quickly settled the issue and had a length-and-a-half to spare over that rival at the line.

Winning rider Dylan Browne McMonagle said: "He is getting better with racing and I felt the last day at Roscommon that he just didn't get home. Coming back to six (furlongs) around a tight track like this suited him and he had the experience so I was keen to go forward. He has plenty of early pace and he was always a winner after halfway.

He knew his joband is learning a lot from his racing and hopefully in time will have no problem getting seven furlongs." Second in the corresponding race last year having won a maiden at this fixture in 2022, Coumshingaun confirmed her liking for Listowel with an emphatic success in a decent little 6f handicap.

Trained for his mother Eileen by Kevin Coleman, the daughter of Fastnet Rock came from off the pace to lead a furlong out and went away to beat Winemaker by three and a quarter lengths.

Browne McMonagle, completing a double after Elzem in the opener, said: "It was a bit of a mess the last day at Naas as everything came stands' side and I got stuck. We went hard today, I was drawn wide and if I had jumped, I would have gone forward but instead took my time and slotted her in.