Irish tips: The Curragh – Eamonn Hames’ top betting preview for TODAY
CURRAGH 1.40
JUST you wait and see.
Aidan O’Brien’s JUST WONDERFUL may have struggled to live up to the promise of her debut in Group company, but the step up to a mile could see her prove her doubters wrong.
Her Royal Ascot run came too soon in her education and her yard was out of sorts when only third in the Anglesey Stakes here in July — she should be at her peak today.
She faces tough competition from the likes of last week’s Debutante Stakes second Bandiuc Eile, Dermot Weld’s Lightning Amber and fellow Ballydoyle stablemate Peach Tree.
However, none of them appeal as much as the selection now she is able to utilise her stamina.
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2.50
The Classic generation usually hold sway here and Willie McCreery’s MARY TUDOR can take another step up the ladder after a sterling effort in the Irish Oaks.
She travelled so strongly, but the12f trip proved to be a little too much when push came to shove and she faded back into third, albeit some way clear of the rest.
The drop back to nine furlongs in a field of this size should see her at her best and she can take this in style before a repeat performance back here in two weeks for the Blandford Stakes on Irish Champions Weekend.
Snowy Winter will do well to confirm Gowran Park form with runner-up Hence, but the third home Dynabee may just improve past the both of them.
Joseph O’Brien’s filly was as green as grass early on before getting the message all too late.
The slight drop in trip is against her because she does stay well, but there is no doubt she will be finishing with a rattle.
Desert Diamond must be respected given her York romp, I’m So Fancy loves it here and ran above herself in a Group 1 at Deauville, but the rest have it to prove.
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This will be a real burn-up with speedy filly Fantasy likely to blast off in front and all eyes will be on last week’s impressive maiden winner Ten Sovereigns.
Aidan O’Brien’s ace could easily be in a different league to these after winning a maiden last week by seven lengths, but he did not learn much on debut and that could be to his undoing against classy filly SERVALAN.
Jessica Harrington’s filly has already impressively won a hot Listed contest at Naas and tested the waters at Group level when a close up sixth in the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot.
She has already beaten the likes of Debutante Stakes winner Skitter Scatter and Phoenix Stakes runner-up So Perfect — she sets the standard for all now that she steps back up to six furlongs.
Mia Mento and Could Be King are interesting prospects in their own right, but they, like the remainder, are likely to struggle to get near the fancied pair.
An ultra competitive renewal of the Cambridgeshire that sees last year’s shock winner Elusive Time return to defend his crown.
Takashi Kodama’s ten-year-old has been sparingly raced since with a repeat in this very much the dream, however if there was one horse to take out of last year’s race it was Mick Halford’s
KATIYMANN and he has to be the selection here under such favourable terms.
The Mick Halford trained six-year-old has been a top handicapper from the word go — his handicap debut was in the 2016 renewal of this — but he hit a superb patch of form towards the end of last year beginning with his unfortunate run in this.
Flying home to finish a never nearer fifth and with plenty left in the tank. He returns here off a higher mark than last year, but Halford has booked top 7lb claimer Ben Coen and that sees him running here off a weight 5lb lighter than he carried last year.
He is a huge each-way player and every run this season has been suggesting that his big pot is near.
Kerineya, Saltonstall and the lightly-raced Terzetto also represent Halford in this major handicap, but a bigger threat is likely to come from the Johnny Murtagh-trained three-year-olds Sirjack Thomas and Lethal Power.
Murtagh has proven a very shrewd judge when it comes to these big handicaps and you can be sure that his pair are both capable of better than their current marks.
Firmament can never be discounted, but he tends to place rather than win and Dream Walker has not had much luck in this race previously, but his Galway run in the Mile suggests he is somewhere near his best.