Hi all,
A big day for Irish racing this afternoon with the highlights being the Tattersalls Gold Cup and Irish 1,000 Guineas.
The Tattersalls Gold Cup like a mini Irish Champions Stakes with Vadeni, Luxembourg and Bay Bridge all declared.
Tahiyra runner-up in the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket will bid to go one place better in the Irish 1,000 Guineas.
This side of the Irish Sea there’s £40,000 in guaranteed prize money on offer in the Clarke Chase (Handicap) at Uttoxeter.
Inside today’s main piece I’m looking at the best of the action from the Curragh and Uttoxeter.
Curragh
The Curragh Clerk Of The Course watered on Friday evening so the ground at the Curragh was actually on the easy side of good. If they have watered after the racing on Saturday, then no quick ground liking horse will be winning the Group 1 races today.
2:45 – Tattersalls Gold Cup (Group 1) – 1m 2f
Just the six runners but it’s a mouth watering renewal with just 2lb separating the big three on Official Ratings (OR’s).
Luxembourg had Vadeni back in third when winning last season’s Irish Champion Stakes. I thought he beat Vadeni fair and square that day. He will have needed his seasonal a return in a Group 2 over C&D last time and should be spot on fitness wise today.
Vadeni went on to finish runner-up in the Arc and will also have needed his seasonal return when fourth in the Prix Ganey at Longchamp. Last year’s Coral Eclipse winner is top on OR’s courtesy of his second in the Arc.
Bay Bridge posted a career best effort when winning the Champion Stakes at Ascot last October. He finished one place in front of Vadeni in the Ganey on his return to action. Like the other two he will be spot on fitness wise for this.
Of the rest Piz Badile will appreciate better ground. Last year’s Irish Derby runner-up is capable of better as a 4-year-old. However, he must improve plenty to win this.
Verdict:
A Cracker of a race. I'm finding it hard to split the three main protagonists: Vadeni, Bay Bridge and Luxembourg. My pin for what it’s worth has come down in favour of Bay Bridge.
3:50 – Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas (Group 1) – 1m
Tahiyra will be long odds to win the first Irish fillies classic after Newmarket second. It’s hard to see her losing but this will be the quickest ground she’s raced on.
Next in the ante post betting Meditate who was 11 lengths behind Tahiyra in the 1,000 Guineas. Qucker ground will suit her than at Newmarket, but she’s been beaten by the favourite twice already albeit on softer ground.
The bookies were going 12/1 bar two on Saturday morning. That brings in Meditate’s stablemate Jackie Oh and Tahiyra’s stablemate Tarawa. Both fillies are open to further improvement with the latter from a family that improve with racing. It’s hard to see either of them beating the favourite at this stage of their careers.
English challenger Breege was a useful juvenile and will appreciate quicker ground. As will the Jessica Harrington trained Eternal Silence. A 6 ¾ length third to Tahiyra in last year’s Group 1 Moyglare Stakes here on her final juvenile start. Has 2 ¼ lengths to find with Meditate on that running and has each way claims.
You Send Me, a winner of a Cork maiden on her seasonal return, was a good ½ length 2nd of 6 to the 5-year-old Power Under Me in a Group 3 at Leopardstown last time. That was a good effort against older horses and given the filly’s size we probably haven’t sees the best of her just yet.
Verdict:
I will be disappointed if Tahiyra can’t beat Meditate once more and land the first Irish fillies Classic. Take out Tahiyra and Meditate out and there’s nothing between the rest of the field on OR’s. If the ground was quicker than good Breege could get into the money. If they have turned on the taps overnight, the best value each way bet looks to be You Send Me.
Uttoxeter
If handicaps are more your thing, then Uttoxeter’s Class 2 Clarke Chase will appeal. As regular readers of the column know I rarely bother with summer jumping. However, there are few handicaps that tempt me in, and this is one of them.
3:55 – Clarke Chase (A Handicap Chase) – 2m 4f
Twelve have been declared for the Uttoxeter feature. The four that appeal to me most are Raffle Ticket, Coastguard Station, Northern Bound and Witness Protection.
Raffle Ticket bids for the hat trick after wins at Kempton and Worcester. Overcame the drop back to an extended 2m at Worcester and will appreciate the return to 2m 4f. Unexposed after just three starts over fences and he’s the rightful favourite.
Coastguard Station a winner on his chase debut at Doncaster in November. He’s since finished runner-up twice and posted a career best effort when a 4 ½ length 3rd of 9 to Malystic at Ayr last month. He was doing his best work at the finish last time and although he’s got to prove his stamina for 2m 4f he’s a winning pointer so should stay this far.
Northern Bound at his best on a sound surface was given a winter break after winning at Newbury in November. He raced like the race was needed but was staying on when unseating his rider at the last Chepstow 30 days ago. This is a better race, but he remains competitively weighted and he’s 7 wins from 10 runs, 8 places when returning from a 16 to 30 day layoff.
Witness Protection is back down to the same mark as when beating Red Rookie at Chepstow in November. Just the three starts since all on soft or heavy ground with the latter two at around 3m. The drop back to 2m 4f will suit as will better ground. Vulnerable to less exposed rivals but nicely treated.
Verdict:
A good contest with a decent sized field. Raffle Ticket is a handicap chaser going the right way and even the step up in class here might not prevent him from landing the hat trick. Coastguard Station should be suited by the step up to 2m 4f and looks his biggest rival.
Sunday Verdict:
If they did water the track on Saturday evening, then I expect Tahiyra to win the Irish 1,000 Guineas. I can see You Send Me outrunning her odds in the race but its takes a big leap of faith to think she can beat the favourite. I’m just with Bay Bridge in what looks a cracking renewal of the Tattersalls Gold Cup
In the Uttoxeter feature Raffle Ticket must have a good chance of completing the hat trick. However, he faces an interesting opponent in Coastguard Station who should be suited by today’s step in trip.
Sunday Selection:
I thought yesterday’s selection Hi Royal ran a cracker to finish third in the Irish 2,000 Guineas. If Bay Bridge was 3/1, he would be Sunday’s selection. However, at the prices I’m taking a bit of a swing at one at big odds in the Irish 1,000 Guineas.
Curragh
3:50 – You Send Me – 20/1 @ Ladbrokes (paying 3 places).
In the Bank Holiday Monday column I will be looking back at some great weekend across Britain & Ireland.
Good luck with your Sunday bets.
John