Irish tips: Irish Champions Weekend at The Curragh – Eamonn Hames’ top betting preview for TODAY

CURRAGH 2.35

THE drop back in trip may not truly suit EZIYRA, but she has a clear class edge over all of her Blandford Stakes rivals and that should be enough to see her home in front.

Dermot Weld’s filly hasn’t been back in action for long, but she picked up right where she left off last season by winning a Group 3 at Leopardstown in clear-cut style.

So easy was her victory there that Weld had no problems pitching her in at Group 1 level for her next start in the Yorkshire Oaks where she ran a career best to finish third behind class act Sea Of Class.

3.05

THIS will be a burn-up from the very start and there is no horse more capable under such conditions than the admirable veteran TAKE COVER.

David Griffiths’ 11-year-old may face a new generation of sprinting rivals here with the field dominated by three-year-olds, but he looked as good as ever when winning the Beverley Bullet and this can hopefully be the major Group 1 triumph that his talent has long deserved.

3.40

MAKE it a Wonderful day with JUST WONDERFUL in the Moyglare.

Aidan O’Brien’s beautifully-bred filly won with plenty of authority in the Flame Of Tara and the drop back to seven furlongs will not be a problem.

Third home Fleeting has since won the May Hill at Doncaster and that suggests the form is red-hot.

She has always been held in the highest of regard and should take all the beating.

MEET THE STARS Here's all you need to know about this year's 32Red Newmarket Open Weekend

4.15

A fantastic clash between Ballydoyle and Godolphin and the bookies can’t split them, but I think the boys in blue can take this with QUORTO.

Both colts are very smart, but I think Charlie Appleby’s unbeaten Dubawi ace has more natural speed and that will be the deciding factor.

Quorto hacked up on his debut over six furlongs and then improved again when beating a solid Ballydoyle yardstick in the Superlative Stakes with any amount in hand.

WITH the recently-retired Order Of St George no longer here to defend his crown, the jockey that rode him to win his first Irish Leger in 2015, Joseph O’Brien, can win his first Leger as a trainer with his classy LATROBE.

Joseph O’Brien has soared to the highest heights in his short time as a dual-purpose racehorse trainer — from winning his first Group 1 in the Moyglare two years ago, to winning his first international Group 1 in the Melbourne Cup last year and then his first Classic when triumphant in this year’s Irish Derby with Latrobe.

There are plenty of good horses in here, not least his father’s Flag Of Honour, but none of them have won a Group 1 let alone a Classic.