There is top-class racing to look forward to at the Curragh on Saturday, with the Irish Oaks (4.35pm) being the feature. Prize-money of over €1million is on offer on the card and we’ve got selections in each of the nine races.
- 13:10: Ponto Vecchio
- 13:40: Nautic Star (NB)
- 14:15: One Look
- 14:50: Dark Ace
- 15:25: Rosy Affair
- 16:00: Confucius
- 16:35: Thundering On (9/4)
- 17:10: Yousaynothingatall
- 17:45: Sovereign Cry (NAP)
– View our Horse Racing markets.
13:10 – Juddmonte ‘Lead Artist’ Irish EBF Maiden for 2yo colts and geldings, 7f
Aidan O’Brien, who has won this race for the last four years, and six times in the last nine years, has three runners this year, with Ryan Moore selecting Speakers Corner, a newcomer by Wootton Bassett; of course, he has to be respected.
Ger Lyons’ Anchor Road is the only runner to have seen the racetrack, finishing fifth on his debut over six furlongs here to Abraham Lincoln, who has since been narrowly beaten in a Group 2 race at Newmarket. On breeding, though, Porto Vecchio, another newcomer, catches the eye. He is by Frankel and is a brother to Homeless Songs, who won the 2022 Irish 1,000 Guineas and, also, won on her racecourse debut. Market support for him would be encouraging.
Selection: Porto Vecchio, unless the market suggests wildly otherwise.
13:40 – Hailey Equine Irish EBF Fillies’ Maiden, 7f, 3yo+
Nautic Star showed improvement to finish third in a mile handicap here last time, while Joseph O’Brien’s Vishaya ran well to finish second in a Killarney handicap last time, also over a mile. Ger Lyons, whose horses are running well, runs a newcomer, Stooked, so check the betting for clues.
Willie McCreery’s Rebel Wave was beaten a head in a seven-furlong Limerick maiden last time, and Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore team up with Pink Coral, who is by Wootton Bassett and is a granddaughter of English 1,000 Guineas winner Virginia Waters, but she will need to improve upon three runs so far over longer distances to get involved.
Oisin Murphy takes the ride on Michael O’Callaghan’s Saga Lucia, who has finished unplaced in two Dundalk runs so far. Joseph O’Brien’s second runner, Never The Same, showed a bit of promise on her debut last November, while Caisleán Ní Cuán showed promise on her debut at Leopardstown and Paddy Twomey’s €105,000 yearling purchase Otsana, a half-brother to a Listed winner that won on his debut, is an interesting newcomer. The market will probably prove to be a good guide.
Selection: Nautic Star, who could appreciate the drop in trip from her good run here last time.
14:15 – Group 3 Al Shira’aa Meadow Court Stakes, 10f, 4yo+, fillies and mares
The highest-rated filly in the race on 111, One Look, who won this race last year, is the one to beat following her second to Estrange in the Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes over c/d last time. Trainer Paddy Twomey also runs Moody, who has won her last three races but steps up in class today. Connections paid €125,000 for her in December, and she is now unbeaten in two runs for them.
There are three British runners in the race, with two of them, Dreamasar, who will be ridden by Billy Loughnane, and Francophone (Oisin Murphy), being Listed winners. Second-best, though, on ratings (on 106) is Joseph O’Brien’s Nyra, who finished second in the Group 3 Munster Oaks at Cork last time on what was her second run for her new stable. She won a Group 3 race in Germany a year ago and then finished third, beaten half-a-length, in the German Oaks. She is clearly a danger to One Look.
Selection: One Look, who can repeat her win in the race last year.
14:50 – Liverpool FC Foundation Scurry Handicap, 6f63y, 3yo+
There are 21 runners for a race that is sponsored by the Liverpool FC Foundation, so it is a competitive affair. Given the sponsor, an apt winner would be Red Evolution, who won over five furlongs at Cork a year ago when rated 88 and arrives here rated 87, so looks competitive.
Dark Ace has been running very well this year and, despite being raised four pounds for a good third here over five furlongs last time out – another of today’s runners, Genesis, won the race – a good run is entirely likely.
Cuban Grey was fourth in that Curragh race, Back Down Under was fifth, and Moltophino was seventh, and they all hold a chance today. Dark Ace’s trainer, Ado McGuinness, also runs Go Athletico, who was rated 86 when winning this a year ago and runs today rated 78. Ado also runs City House, who caught the eye here two runs back.
There are two runners from England: Sondad and Dark Thirty, who can’t be ruled out of good runs. Horses trained in England have won this race twice in the last four years and four times in the last ten. They are both drawn high, in 18 and 20 respectively, with the winning stall-numbers in this race in the last 10 years being 3-3-20-10-15-5-8-17-12-14.
As indicated earlier, this is competitive, which is further compounded by the fact that three runners, The Highway Rat, Gavoo and Sir Les Patterson, will be racing in first-time headgear. In addition, Glory To Be runs under a penalty following a Fairyhouse win. Good luck if you are getting involved. There has been no outright winning favourite in the last ten years (one winner was a joint-favourite), with six of the ten being returned at 10/1 or bigger.
Selection: Dark Ace, who looks an improved performer this year. His stable won this race last year.
15:25 – Group 2 Tulfarris Hotel & Golf Resort Sapphire Stakes, 5f, 3yo+
Five of the runners here are rated between 107 and 110, among them three of the four British runners, including Jakajaro, who posted a career-best effort when fifth, beaten 1.5 lengths in the Group 1 King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot last time, and Rosy Affair, who finished alongside him in fourth place on what was her first run in a Group race. She has blossomed this year.
You can say the same about Donnacha O’Brien’s Havana Anna, who was beaten two lengths into fourth in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot last time out despite racing keenly. Connections paid a supplementary fee to get her into this race so must be bullish about dropping her to five furlongs.
A return to his Bar 1 Betting Flying Five third over c/d in September would certainly give Bucanero Fuerte a chance, while Aidan O’Brien’s Charles Darwin is talented but is proving to be enigmatic.
Selection: Rosy Affair, who has blossomed this year. Given the positive comments of connections, Havana Anna can be expected to go well.
16:00 – Group 2 GAIN Railway Stakes, 6f, 2yo
Aidan O’Brien runs two here, with Ryan Moore opting for Confucius, who finished sixth in the Group 2 Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot on June 16 before being beaten at short odds when third here eleven days later, a race that might have come a bit too quickly after Ascot.
Aidan’s other runner, Carry The Flag, who will race in first-time cheek-pieces, narrowly won a Listed race at Naas last time, having finished 1.25 lengths behind the Coventry Stakes winner Great Barrier Reef in a c/d Group 3 race in May, a race in which he finished 1.25 lengths ahead of another of today’s runners, Immortal Guard.
Confucius finished 1.75 lengths behind Great Barrier Reef at Ascot; like Carry The Flag and Immortal Guard, he is rated 101. We’ll side with the judgement of Ryan Moore and select Confucius.
Selection: Confucius, whose trainer has won this race 15 times since 1997.
16:35 – Group 1 Juddmonte Irish Oaks, 12f, 3yo fillies, €500,000 in prize money
Eleven runners and a very good line-up for the latest Classic in the Irish season. The Epsom Oaks winner Thundering On finished fourth behind Estrange in the Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes last time but looked there as though a return to 12 furlongs would suit. She gets that today, although not the soft ground she encountered at Epsom when winning impressively.
Amelia Earhart, who will race in first-time cheek-pieces, was a well-beaten sixth at Epsom having previously won the Cheshire Oaks at Chester, while the William Haggas-trained Earth Shot arrives on the back of a narrow, and game, Ribblesdale Stakes win at Royal Ascot from Johanna Walsh, who reopposes today and, like Thundering On, is trained by Joseph O’Brien. Earth Shot had earlier narrowly beaten another of today’s runners, Inis Mor, in a Listed race at Goodwood. Cameo, one of five runners for Aidan O’Brien in the race, finished a well-beaten fifth in the Epsom Oaks, having previously won the Lingfield Oaks Trial.
Jim Bolger’s Sparan Nua is unbeaten in three runs and won the Group 3 Munster Oaks at Cork last time out from Nyra, who runs in the 14:15 race on the same card.
Selection: Thundering On (9/4), who can add the Irish Oaks to her Epsom Oaks win, although Amelia Earhart in first-time headgear is a danger on this better going than when the pair met at Epsom.
17:10 – Hill Of Allen Stud Handicap, 10f, 3yo
There are just six runners in this 10f handicap, two of which will run in first-time headgear. Johnny Murtagh runs Fairyhouse maiden winner Vanir, whose granddam Natagora won the English 1,000 Guineas.
Jessica Harrington’s Noble Honour has proven consistent in maidens thus far, while Ger Lyons’ Genchev won well over 10f at Navan (although the form of that race hasn’t worked out well) before running unplaced over 12f at Royal Ascot, and Joseph O’Brien’s Yousaynothingatall won a fillies’ maiden at Cork in good style before being found out in Listed company last time.
Trustmore will race in blinkers for the first time and for the first time since a gelding operation. Tanzanite Diamond will race in both a tongue-tie and cheek-pieces for the first time, but these will need to bring about a good bit of improvement for him to get involved. The betting for this race could prove very informative.
Selection: Yousaynothingatall, who will be having a first run on turf where soft has not appeared in the description.
17:45 – WTW Willis Handicap, 5f, 3yo+
It has been a patience game with Sovereign Cry, who I thought would prove to be decent after seeing him win at Dundalk last December. That patience was rewarded when he won at five-furlong handicap at Naas on July 4th under today’s apprentice rider.
He has been raised five pounds in the ratings for that win but is still lightly raced and is in the right hands with trainer Danny Murphy so can keep the improvement coming. Of the others, first-time cheek-pieces could help the cause of Real Encounter.
Selection: Sovereign Cry, who can keep the improvement coming for trainer Danny Murphy.
Saturday’s Curragh selections
- 13:10: Ponto Vecchio
- 13:40: Nautic Star (NB)
- 14:15: One Look
- 14:50: Dark Ace
- 15:25: Rosy Affair
- 16:00: Confucius
- 16:35: Thundering On
- 17:10: Yousaynothingatall
- 17:45: Sovereign Cry (NAP)
