Hi all,
A second day at racing at Newcastle with the Group 3 Hoppings Fillies’ Stakes (7.10) the feature race of a seven-race card.
For those of you like me who like a competitive sprint handicap there’s the Gosforth Park Cup Handicap (6.35) to look forward. Fourteen have been declared for this 5f handicap which looks the most interesting from a betting perspective.
Across the Irish Sea it’s the first of three days racing at the Curragh as the Irish Derby Festival gets underway. The highlight of a seven-race card which includes a four big field handicaps is the Group 2 Comer Group International Curragh Cup (6.43). Eight have been declared for a race which Aidan O’Brien has won six times since 2012. Aidan runs three Wordsworth, Sussex and Temple Of Artemis in this year’s race. Meanwhile son Joseph has won the race twice since 2017 and saddles two Master Of Reality & Gear Up.
In today’s preview I have had a look at the two big Newcastle races and no less than five from the Curragh. Selections and betting advice follow at the end of the main piece.
Newcastle
7:10 – Jenningsbet Hoppings Fillies’ Stakes (Group 3) – 1m 2f
My Astra a 12-length winner of an Ayr Listed race last time will be hot favourite to give William Haggas a second win in the race. The 4-year-old looked a potential Group 1 horse last time and although it’s her first start on the tapeta, her half-brother My Oberon won here and her sire Lope De Vega has plenty of winners on the surface.
Her main rivals look to be Potapova and Rogue Millennium. The former ran well when a 1 ¼ length 2nd of 10 in the Group 3 Princess Elizabeth Stakes at Epsom last time. She seems to be getting better with racing and she’s won on the polytrack. Rogue Millennium one of two 3-year-old’s the other being Moon De Vega. Finished 7th in the Oaks last time. The Lingfield Oaks Trial winner looked she might get into the placings 2f out but just weakened out of it to finish 7th. This is more her level, and she remains capable of more improvement. Moon De Vega finished a further 3 ¾ lengths back in 8th in the Oaks but was rather disappointing. Hopes are pinned on her appreciating the new surface and the drop back in trip.
6:35 – Jenningsbet Gosforth Park Cup Handicap (Class 2) – 5f
Top-weight Venturous has won five times at Newcastle, including 4-7 5 placed over C&D. He was a 1 ¾ length 6th of 14 in last year’s race but was disappointing at York in May. Tom Marquand who is 2-3 keeps faith with the 9-year-old and he looks set for another big run.
Count D’Orsay was ¼ length behind Venturous in 7th 12 months ago. He was hampered at the start that day and is 5lb better of with that one today. He’s on a long losing run but has plenty of good efforts that make him look well treated and he deserves a change of look. Stablemate Copper Knight landed this in 2018 and was back to winning ways when beating seven rivals at Chester with Count D’Orsay back in third 13-days ago. Granted he’s gone up 6lb, but he finished a ¾ length 2nd of 13 in the 2019 renewal off 2lb higher so isn’t out of it given he looked as good as ever last time.
Stone Of Destiny has dropped down to a tempting mark. He’s another on a losing run though, last success came in the Portland Handicap at Doncaster in September 2020. A strong finishing 1 ¾ length 3rd of 16 after an interrupted passage in last year’s Epsom Dash but was only 6th of 20 in this year’s race. The 7-year-old hasn’t hit last year’s best form yet and the first-time blinkers are given a go now. A strongly run stiff 5f looks a bare minimum these days. However, if the headgear sharpens him up then he’s handicapped to go well and he’s run well on his three previous runs here.
Curragh
The Irish Derby Festival gets going this evening and it looks a cracking three days of racing. It’s also the meeting that provides Friday’s selection.
The going at the Curragh is good, good to firm in places but there’s some rain forecast for the next few days so it shouldn’t get any quicker. Looking first at the most valuable race on the card.
6:43 – Comer Group International Curragh Cup (Group 2) – 1m 6f
Wordsworth didn’t stay 2m 5 ½ f when a 4 ½ length 7th of 12 to Stratum in Queen Alexandra Stakes at Royal Ascot last Saturday. The drop back in trip should be in his favour and his stablemate Sussex looks set to set the pace. It all depends how hard a race he had last time. The other Aidan O’Brien runner is the 3-year-old Temple Of Artemis who won a Chester handicap last month. He’s likely capable of more improvement and did hold an Irish Derby entry.
Joseph O’Brien saddles Master Of Reality & Gear Up. The first named who finished runner-up in the 2020 Melbourne Cup isn’t as good as he once was but he wasn’t far behind Wordsworth on his seasonal return here last time and is entitled to closer to that one here if building on that run. Gear Up made all to win to win a minor race at Gowran Park last time that was his first success since winning a Group 1 as juvenile when trained by Mark Johnson. Stamina for 1m 6f to be proven though.
Camorra won a Group 3 at Leopardstown (1m 4f) last October but he’s yet to be at his best so far and both start this season including behind Wordsworth & Master Of Reality last time. The blinkers do return for the first time this season and the 5-year-old isn’t of this back to his best. Manu Et Corde well beaten by Stone Age and Piz Badile on his first two starts was back to something like his juvenile best when a 1 ¾ length 3rd of 7 in the Ulster Derby (Premier Handicap) 6-days ago. The step up to 1m 4f suited last time and he could do even better over further.
6:08 – Mutasarref looks to have plenty of weight with 10-2 but did enough to suggest this sort of mark is workable when a 2 lengths 6th of 27 to Celtic Crown here over a mile last time. He’s run well on all three starts this season, has been dropped 1lb since his last run and the drop back to 7f will suit. This ease in class for the 4-year-old who looks a solid enough mark leader.
Cosmic Vega a close -up 2nd of 15 at Roscommon last month should go well but he may need softer ground.
River Derwent was an eyecatching 2nd of 17 over C&D on his seasonal return but hasn’t managed to build on that promise on two subsequent starts. His yard is hot form though and a return to this venue could see him go better. Stablemate National Gallery won’t be able to dominate this field like he did when beating seven rivals at Limerick last time. Given the yards form he’s respected, and he went close in handicap company over C&D three starts back.
Bobby K produced a much improved performance when beating 11 rivals at Listowel 20-days ago. After that win his trainer felt the 7-year-old would be better suited by a flatter like the Curragh. Up 5lb for his latest win but remains on a competitive mark, albeit this is better race than at Listowel.
The connections of Ice Cold In Alex will be hoping the forecast rain stays away. The 8-year-old needs a strong pace to chase as he got 12 months ago when winning this race off today’s mark. His record at the Curragh, on good/good to firm ground and when racing between 11 to 30-days since his last start is 3 wins from 8 runs +23.5 6 placed. If all the cards fall right, I’m expecting him to go very close.
7:18 – Tudor City maybe a 10-year-old but showed there was plenty of life in the veteran when winning a Punchestown handicap hurdle last month. Fairly treated on the best of his form, was 5-length 3rd of 19 in this race last season and should give a good account in the hands of inform apprentice Jake Coen.
Auckland put in a personal best on the flat when a 2-length 3rd of 18 at Leopardstown (1m 5f) last time. He’s been nudged up a 1lb but the drop back a furlong in distance shouldn’t be an issue for the 5-year-old provided there is the forecast decent gallop.
Alma Libre is a seven race maiden, but she’s run well on her last two starts, looks fairly treated and worth a try at 1m 4f. Jake Coen who rode her last time is on Tudor City.
Joseph O’Brien has saddled the winner of this contest in 2016 & 2020, and he has one of the one of the most interesting of the twenty runners in Common Practice. The 3-year-old has only had the five career starts all at around 7f. He posted a career best when a strong finishing 2-length 4th of 7 at Listowel 19-days ago. The form of that race seems to be working out nicely the second won a Naas Listed race on Wednesday and the third National Gallery has won since. Give that was the geldings first start since October he’s entitled to be sharper today. He takes a big jump in distance here, but his dam won over 1m 2f. If he does stay 1m 4f a mark of 74 could be very lenient. And it looks like the early betting thinks so too.
7:53 – Twenty four runners but this 1m 1f handicap looks the weakest of the evening. The pace is forecast to be strong so it could pay to side with the more patiently ridden runners. That said you must respect the claims of the Joseph O’Brien trained filly Corky who put up an improved effort when a ½-length 2nd of 11 on handicap debut in the Ulster Oaks (1m 2 ½ f) at Down Royal 6-days ago. Granted she got the run of the race out in front that day, but she looks progressive and if she’s not inconvenienced by the further drop back in trip should go well.
Morning Approach broke a long losing run when winning at Leopardstown (good to firm) 8-days ago. An extra furlong to race here and 4lb higher but is in form and that shouldn’t be underestimated if getting a sound surface.
Both Howyoulikethat’s wins have come on the all-weather at a mile, but she showed she could be effective on turf when a 4 ½ length 5th of 15 at Fairyhouse last month. She’s been dropped 1lb and Billy Lee is back in the saddle
Miss Cunning has been in good form this season winning at Listowel (1m) two starts back and still looked well treated when stepped up to 1m 4f when a length fourth of 17 at Fairyhouse two weeks ago. The forecast pace will suit her hold up style and given her present form has to be high on the shortlist despite the drop back in distance.
8:28 – The Dermot Weld trained Dalton Highway bids for a hat trick of wins in the race. He clearly can’t be ruled out but he’s 9lb higher this time around and doesn’t have the benefit of a recent run this time around. Weld looks to have stronger claims with Kazakdaria. The lightly raced 4-year-old returned from 9 months off with a solid 5 ½ length 3rd of 13 here (1m 6f) 23-days ago. Doing her best work at the finish that day and could do better over today’s 2m trip.
You must respect a Willie Mullins stayer and he runs Maze Runner and Foveros. The first named was 3rd of 30 in the Irish Cesarewitch over C&D last autumn and must be respected if reproducing that run here. Likewise, Foveros has good form over the trip on the flat. Both probably need a bit of ease in the ground.
Nuits St Georges is competitively weighted on his best form for previous trainer David Menuisier on just his second start for Henry De Bromhead. Like the Mullins pair rain softened ground won’t inconvenience him.
Monty’s Way made it 2-6 and looked much improved for the step up to 2m 1f when beating ten rivals at Killarney last month. It was soft last time but his previous success came on good ground, so he seems ground versatile. He’s been raised 8lb for his latest win but is unexposed over 2m and the yard couldn’t be in better form.
Shanroe is lightly raced for an 8-year-old but he’s 3-7 on the flat. The latest of those wins came here over 1m 6f last June. Career best effort on the flat came when the 8-year-old was a 3-length 4th of 20 in last season’s Ebor Handicap at York. First run since October but has gone well off a lay off in the past. He should stay 2m and looks interesting if ready to roll first time on a track that suits.
Betting Advice:
Newcastle
6:35 – 1pt win – Copper Knight – 10/1 @ Bet365 and 1pt win – Venturous – 12/1 @ Bet365
Curragh
6:08 – 1pt win – Ice Cold In Alex – 7/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
7:18 – 1pt win – Tudor City – 8/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
7:53 – 1pt win – Howyoulikethat – 14/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes and 1pt win – Miss Cunning – 10/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
8:28 – 1pt win – Monty’s Way – 7/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
Cheers
John