With €1,310,000 in prize money on offer, another excellent card of racing lies ahead at the Curragh. Among the races are the €1million Goffs Million and the Group 2 Beresford Stakes, while siblings of two Epsom Derby winners make their debuts in maidens.
Selections
- 13:30 Benown
- 14:00 Lewis Carroll
- 14:35 Keke (NB)
- 15:10 Noble Exhibit (Nap)
- 15:45 Love Billy Boy
- 16:20 Critical Reason
- 16:55 Come What May
- 17:25 Together Now
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13:30 – Market Square Monasterevin Irish EBF Maiden, 2yo, 6f, €22,000
With the third from his maiden, Loughrea N Roll, winning at Listowel earlier in the week, the form of Benown, who finished second in the race, has been given a timely boost. He catches the eye in the opener. Controlla hasn’t yet built on his debut third, which came in a Group 3 race, but he has been highly tried in his four runs so far so ought to find this level easier.
Selection: Benown
14:00 – 7f 3yo Rated Race
Lewis Carroll, who is by Siyouni and closely related to the English 2,000 Guineas winner Saxon Warrior, has been allotted a mark of 87 after his win over c/d on March 28, a run that came following an absence. So does this one, so he has maybe had problems. The betting should povide clues.
Selection: Lewis Carroll
14:35 – Joe McGrath Handicap, €50,000, 5f, 3yo+
As things transpired, Keke effectively had no chance from stall one in a valuable 6f handicap at the Curragh on Sept 13. He is drawn better today over this shorter trip, has Colin Keane on board, and will race in first-time cheek-pieces. Red Evolution finished second in that race and represents an obvious danger.
Selection: Keke
15:10 – The Group 2 Churchill Tyres Beresford Stakes, €130,000, 8f, 2yo
By Frankel out of a US Grade 2 and 3 winner, Noble Exhibit is an obvious player here following his easy Punchestown win. City Of Dubai, a likeable Mehmas colt, sets the standard for the race’s form.
Aidan O’Brien has won this race seven times in the last ten years, and 22 times in total, including with such horses as St Nicholas Abbey, Saxon Warrior, Luxembourg, Japan, Capri, and, last year, Hawk Mountain. Six favourites plus one joint-favourite have been successful in the last ten years.
Such exceptional horses as Alamshar, Assert, Azamour, Sadler’s Wells and the legendary Sea The Stars are also previous winners of the race.
Selection: Noble Exhibit
15:45 – Izuzu Ireland Handicap, €35,000, 3yo+, 7f
Love Billy Boy has been lightly raced this year but there’s no doubt that he is well handicapped based on last year’s form. A visor goes on for the first time today. He’s been absent for 106 days but has shown that he can run well off a break. Rahmi was rated 13lbs higher when winning over today’s trip at Leopardstown a year ago so holds obvious claims if in that type of form again. Eddie G is solid at this level, Unique Journey is another to consider, and Excellent Believe should be sharper for his latest run.
Selection: Love Billy Boy
16:20 – Goffs Million, €1,000,000, 7f, 2yo
Ger Lyons runs a newcomer called Critical Reason in this valuable 2yo contest. He’s a half-brother to the same stable’s Group 3 winner Geryon – who will by now have run in a listed race last night at Dundalk – who won on his debut. It’s a bit of a left-field suggestion but market confidence would be interesting. An obvious major player is Aidan O’Brien’s Carry The Flag, who is rated 110 after some excellent Group 1 runs. Joseph O’Brien’s 103-rated Green Dreamer should also be in the shake-up. Stable-companion King Of Claughan, who won at Royal Ascot in June, could also go well for Joseph, while York Group 3 third Trean has also competed with credit at Group level.
Selection: Critical Reason
16:55 – Gra Chocolates Maiden, 3yo+, €20,000, 10f
A full-brother to the 2022 Epsom Derby winner Desert Crown, who won on his debut, Come What May has to be of interest on his debut. He is trained by Aidan O’Brien. By Frankel out the Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes winner Urban Fox, Copper Dog, another debutant, has an interesting profile. By Night Of Thunder out of a Group 3 winner, State Of Wyoming didn’t show too much on her debut but surely has better to come, while €6,000 yearling purchase Vico Road has run well on each start so far and might run well at a bigger price.
Selection: Come What May
17:25 – Equiwinner Patches Fillies’ Maiden, 3yo+, 9f, €20,000
A half-sister to the top-class Epsom Derby winner City Of Troy, Together Now showed plenty of ability when second on her racecourse debut last October. Okay, she hasn’t been seen since and Wayne Lordan rides Camelot Queen in the race for the same stable, but she has shown that she can run well fresh so we’ll side with her unless the market vibe is weak. Also from the same stable, Christmas Carol, who is by Dubawi out of the French Oaks winner Jan Of Arc, is another to bear in mind. Donnacha O’Brien runs Lookingforarainbow, who has run well on all four starts so far, while Jessica Harrington runs two in the race, including the 85-rated Ridersinthesky, who hasn’t run since April but showed plenty of promise prior to that.
Selection: Together Now
Selections:
- 13:30 Benown
- 14:00 Lewis Carroll
- 14:35 Keke (NB)
- 15:10 Noble Exhibit (Nap)
- 15:45 Love Billy Boy
- 16:20 Critical Reason
- 16:55 Come What May
- 17:25 Together Now
