Tag Archives: Curragh

horse racing

Talking horse

Concentrating on the high quality card at the Curragh this afternoon, including the Irish Derby. The going is Good to Yielding.

4.40 6f GAIN Railway Stakes (Group 2) (2yo)

Murillo sets the  form standard after his third in Coventry at Royal Ascot.

Verbal Dexterity was noted after impressing on debut on this track over 7f.

Dropping back to 6f is a concern, but he is expected to go close. Current 4/1 looks fair.

Verbal Dexterity

5.20 1m4f Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby (Group 1) (Entire Colts & Fillies) (3yo)

Wings Of Eagles may be underestimated after what I considered to be an excellent performance when winning the Derby.

He came from a long way back, was hampered on a couple of occasions, yet stayed on to win going away at the finish.

Waldgeist is respected, with the French form being sound.

9/4+ about Wings Of Eagles is fair.

Wings Of Eagles

 

Had our first bet of the week yesterday after a very successful Royal Ascot. We were rewarded with a 10/3 winner.

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horse racing

Derby double?

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Two races for us this afternoon as we go to Newmarket and the Curragh for the Irish Derby. The going on the July course at Newmarket is soft and there are already plenty of non-runners. Light rain is forecast during racing. At the Curragh it is Good to Yielding.

3.55 Newmarket John Sunley Memorial Criterion Stakes (Group 3)

Two weeks ago at York we concentrated on Mutakayyef and Muwaary in the Ganton Stakes. They finished first and third respectively.

Muwaary was noted on his return after almost two years off and looks sure to go well.

His temperament could be an issue, as he got himself “excited” during the prelims at York.

So Beloved ties in with the consistent Breton Rock. Little to choose between them as they finished with just under a length apart at Haydock last time.

I marginally prefer Breton Rock, with the soft ground not a problem.

Breton-Rock
Breton Rock

My provisional pricing is:

Breton Rock  7/2

So Beloved    4/1

Muwaary      9/2

8/1 Bar

 

5.20 Curragh Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby (Group 1)

Six of these run in the Epsom Derby and I would be very surprised if today’s winner doesn’t come from the two that finished 1st and 3rd. Namely Harzand and Idaho.

Unfortunately that is reflected in the market.

There is an argument that on today’s quicker ground on a flatter track Idaho has a realistic chance of turning Epsom form around with Harzand. Added to this the niggling problems that Harzand has encountered in preparation. But he had problems before Epsom and won going away.

 

AP O’Brien has three of the nine declared in this, all connected to the Magnier/Tabor ownership. Along with Idaho we have Shogun who struggled in the Epsom Derby and Claudio Monteverdi. It could prove a tactical battle.

 

If Harzand is the same horse he was at Epsom he will win. But I wouldn’t want to be taking the current odds-on about him.

 

Harzand
Harzand

My tissue:

Harzand 1/1

Idaho  9/4

Red Verdon 10/1

16/1 bar