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Saturday Preview

Hi all,

All eyes across the Irish Sea on Saturday where its 2,000 Guineas Day at the Curragh.

The Group 2 Sandy Lane Stakes (3:00) and the Group 2 Temple Stakes (3.30) are the feature races on a seven race card at Haydock.

ITV are covering five races from Haydock this afternoon and two each from Goodwood & York. Plus, we have the bonus of the broadcaster taking the Irish 2,000 Guineas live.

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Inside today’s preview you can read my thoughts on the two Group 2’s at Haydock and the Irish 2,000 Guineas. And it’s the latter race where I begin Saturday’s preview.

Curragh
3:40 – Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas (Group 1) – 1m

Eleven have been declared for the first Irish colts Classic.  The ground will be totally different to what we saw at Newmarket for the first British colts Classic.

Hi Royal (2nd), Royal Scotsman (3rd) and Galeron (4th) from the 2,000 Guineas reoppose here. The bookies think the supplemented Royal Scotsman will finish best on Saturday.  

Given Royal Scotsman raced away from where the main action was and didn’t settle you can see why that may well prove to be the right position to take.  However, I’m happy to go in with Hi Royal to go one better than he did at Newmarket. If he had kept straight between the final two furlongs, he would have finished closer to the winner.

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The best of the rest could be the Aidan O’Brien trained Paddington. The colt completed the hat trick when winning a Listed race over C&D 26 days ago. There should be more to come from him but he does need to take another big step forward to win on Saturday.

I would have Hi Royal and Royal Scotsman much closer in the betting than they are and he’s the pick.

Haydock
3:00 – Betfred Nifty Fifty Sandy Lane Stakes (Group 2)

Little Big Bear disappointing on soft ground in the 2,000 Guineas is back down to 6f and back on a sound surface. The clear pick on juvenile form and a worthy favourite but the bookies are taking no chances with his price.

Cold Case and Bradsell were first and thirdon their seasonal returns at Ascot 24 days ago. Both looked like their seasonal returns were needed. Cold Case rallied well after being headed by Bradsell 2f out and although today’s sharper 6f should suit the latter I wouldn’t be surprised if Cold Case confirmed form once more.

Matilda Picotte, a speedy juvenile, looks to have trained on from two to three and last time out was a solid 8 lengths 3rd of 20 to Mawj in 1000 Guineas. Hard to see her having the class to beat a back to his Little Big Bear but it wouldn’t be wise to underestimate her.

3:30 – Betfred Temple Stakes (Group 2) – 5f

A cracking renewal of this sprint contest. You must go back to 2014 for the last 3-year-old to win the race but the front two in the ante post betting both represent the Classic generation.

Smart juvenile filly and winner of the Group 1 Prix de l'Abbaye The Platinum Queen makes her debut for Roger Varian. If she’s trained on, she will be hard to stop over a speed favouring 5f. Her stablemate Mitbaahy can’t be ruled out either.  The 4-year-old won a Group 3 over the trip at Newbury in September. He finished 4 ½ behind The Platinum Queen at Longchamp but wouldn’t have liked the soft ground that day. On a sounder surface he has good each way claims.

The Platinum Queen’s Group 1 penalty means she must give weight to some good rivals including another smart 3-year-old in Dramatised.  The winner of last season’s Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot. She finished well ahead of The Platinum Queen in the Breeders Juvenile Turf Sprint at Keeneland. Although the latter was probably feeling the effects of a busy campaign in receipt of 5lb Dramatised must be seriously considered.

Twilight Calls runner-up in last season’s King Stand Stakes, wasn’t suited by the soft ground in the Palace House Stakes at Newmarket three weeks ago. Back on quick ground better expected from the 5-year-old who was beaten a head in last year’s race.

Royal Aclaim looked a sprinter going places when winning her first three starts including an impressive success in a York Listed contest last July. She’s only had the five career starts and remains capable as a 4-year-old.  

Saturday Verdict:

Yesterday’s selection Araminta was a big drifter before the Listed Height Of Fashion Stakes. But she didn’t know her price and ran out a tidy winner at a very generous 15/2.

Hi Royal has been weak in the ante post betting for the Tattersalls 2,000 Guineas. As support has come in for both Royal Scotsman and Paddington. Which means he’s become a backable price especially at the 5/1 that's available with Coral.

At Haydock Little Big Bear will bid to put his season back on track and win the Group 2 Sandy Lane Stakes. If back to last season’s best, he will be a tough nut to crack. Cold Case continues to go the right way and trainer Karl Burke won the race in 2016 & 2022. Matilda Picotte’s 1,000 Guineas third entitles her to serious consideration.

It will be interesting to see if The Platinum Queen has trained on if she has then the favourite will take some catching in the Temple Stakes. Twilight Calls was runner-up 12 months ago and should go well again. Dramatised has been surprisingly weak for her seasonal return but that wouldn't worry me too much given her yard's form.. Mitbaahy stablemate of the favourite will like the ground and might be capable of better as a 4-year-old. The slight negative to his chance would be regular pilot David Egan is riding for the trainer at the Curragh.

Saturday Selection:

Curragh

3:40 – Hi Royal – 5/1 @ Coral.

It’s Irish 1,000 Guineas Day on Sunday which means there will be a preview of the best of the action on offer at the Curragh.

Good luck with your Saturday bets.

John

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