Hi all,
All eyes on the Curragh for the final day of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Festival. There’s more Group 1 action with the highlight of an eight race card being the Pretty Polly Stakes (3.45).
Nine fillies have stood their ground for the Pretty Polly which has €177,000 on offer to the winner. Ok, there’s no Tuesday, Emily Upjohn or Nashwa but it looks a fascinating race, nonetheless. It provides an opportunity for the 3-year-old fillies to meet the older generation for the first time at Group 1 level. As the likes of La Petite Coco, Dreamloper and My Astra taking on the classic generation in the shape of Purplepay and Concert Hall.
Group 2 Airlie Stud Stakes (2.10) could see a Group 1 juvenile filly emerge. As the unbeaten Aidan O’Brien filly Statuette takes on two other unbeaten fillies in Zarinsk and Papilio. Two Premier Handicaps the Rockingham (3:10) and the ‘Ragusa’ (4:20) add spice to what looks a competitive day’s race.
There’s one flat meeting in Britain today at Windsor. However, the best of the action this side of the Irish Sea are jumps cards at Uttoxter & Cartmel. The latter has stages to Class 2 handicaps which are the feature races of a seven race card.
Uttoxeter also has two Class 2 handicaps. However, the feature contest is the valuable bet365 Summer Cup (3:00), over 3m 2f. Eighteen handicap chasers have been declared for the race which has £42,713 on offer to the winner and is one of the most valuable races of the summer jumps campaign.
In today’s preview I have had a look at five races at the Curragh and the Summer Cup at Uttoxeter.
Curragh
The ground was quick on Friday evening, but rain has been forecast for the rest of the weekend with possibly as much as 12mm by Sunday lunchtime
2:10 – Airlie Stud Stakes (Group 2) – 6f
The superbly bred Statuette made an impressive winning racecourse debut at Navan and missed the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot, which won by her stablemate Mediate, to come here. There are two other unbeaten fillies in the line-up in Zarinsk and Papilio. The first named who hails from the inform Ger Lyons yard. The daughter of Kodiac made a winning debut over C&D last month. She only won by neck but is open to plenty of improvement. Papilio also won a C&D maiden last month. Another open to plenty of progress and she won’t be inconvenienced if the forecast heavy rain arrives overnight.
2:40 – Sherry FitzGerald Country Homes Handicap – 6f
A neck separated Lord Dudley & Blairmayne when the pair where first and second in Cork Premier Handicap over 7f last month. The runner-up who has winning C&D form gets 2lb today and there shouldn’t be much between them again. Lord Dudley is drawn in 19 while Blairmayne is 7.
Rough Diamond a winner at Naas two starts back wasn’t best positioned from his high draw when a 3 ¼ length 7th of 18 over C&D last time. He shouldn’t be far away if stall 2 isn’t an inconvenience this time. Stablemate Heavenly Power won a C&D maiden (soft) last August and wasn’t disgraced when a 6 ½ length 2nd of 18 to all the way winner Verhoyen over C&D on his seasonal return. He gets 14lb from that one today and given he’s only had six career starts so we might not have seen the best of the 4-year-old.
The pace looks to be mostly high which brings Goodnight Girl into the mix. The mare who beat Lord Dudley over C&D last August was a ¾ length 2nd of 17 in the race 12 months ago but may not want the ground to ease too much further.
3:10 – Paddy Power Rockingham Handicap (Premier Handicap) – 5f
Blind Beggar’s sole win remains a Catterick maiden last May. Has run well on all four starts since switching to Ger Lyons. The way he travelled over 6f at Fairyhouse last time suggests a stiff 5f should suit. The first time blinkers are applied and if they have the desired effect, he can go close. Colin Keane doesn’t ride but he likely can’t do 8-7 these days. Big Gossey is 3lb above his last winning mark which came here over 6f last September. The 5-year-old has improved with each of his five starts this season and there was plenty to like about his neck 2nd of 9 to Moss Tucker at Fairyhouse last time with Blind Beggar ¾ length back in third. The early money was for the David O’Meara trained Alligator Alley. He’s very well treated on his juvenile form for Joseph O’Brien. The 5-year-old bounced back from a below par effort at York when a 2 ¼ length 4th of 14 to Mr Wagyu at Epsom (6f) last time. He looked the most likely winner when coming to challenge 1f out that day before just fading out in the final half furlong. There’s a decent pot in him off his present mark over 5f this season when all the cards fall right. Erosandpsyche shaped well on his seasonal return and first start for Paddy Twomey when a 2 ¼ length 3rd of 18 to Additional here over 6f last month. He gets a handy 6lb today and the drop back to 5f seems likely to suit him better than the winner, both career wins have come at the minimum trip. The addition of the first visor also makes him more interesting.
3:45 – Alwasmiyah Pretty Polly Stakes (Group 1) – 1m 2f
An absolute cracker of a renewal for this clash of the generations. William Haggas brings over My Astra & Purplepay. The latter ran well when 6th of 14 in the Irish 1,000 Guineas on her seasonal reappearance before going onto win a Group 2 at Chantilly earlier this month. The step up to 1m 2f should suit her on pedigree and if the forecast rain arrives her claims become stronger. My Astra looked a potential Group 1 horse when running out a 12-length winner of an Ayr Listed race last time. Like he stablemate a bit of ease in the ground will suit. The lightly arced 4-year-old is open to further improvement and can go well. Dreamloper a Newmarket Group 2 winner on her return maintained her improvement when winning the Group 1 Prix d’Ispahan at Longchamp last time. A strongly run 1m 2f will test her stamina but she won’t be far away if she stays. La Petite Coco was an improving 3-year-old at this distance last season ending it with a hard fought short head success over Love in the Group 2 Blandford Stakes over C&D. She should prove up to winning at Group 1 level this season, but it may come over 1m 4f. The 4-year-old also has a 287-day absence to overcome which won’t be easy against some classy and race fit rivals. Concert Hall didn’t seem to fail for stamina when a 4 ½ length 4th of 11 to Tuesday in the Epsom Oaks last time. Looks set for another big performance, despite the drop back in distance, if this doesn’t come to quick
4:20 – Irish Stallion Farms EBF “Ragusa” Handicap (Premier Handicap) – 1m 4f
Dame Rapide has really improved this season winning both her starts at Leopardstown and here over two furlongs further last month. She’s up another 13lb for her latest success but it would a be a brave punter who took the position that her improvement has stopped. Another to have improved this season is Aingeal Dorcha who has won 2-4 of his four starts and put in a personal best when winning at Limerick 15-days ago. The step up to an extended 1m 3f suited the 4-year-old last time and although he’s been raised 6lb he’s going the right way.
Uttoxeter
3:00 – bet365 Summer Cup (An Open Handicap Chase) (Listed Race) – 3m 2f
The Tizzard yard has saddled the winner of this valuable prize twice since 2017 and Joe could add his name to the winning trainers today with Sizing Cusimano. The 9-year-old is a three time course winner, including C&D last June. He returned from 259-day absence as good as ever when beating four rivals at Newton Abbot last month. He’s got a 10lb hike in the weights to defy in a deeper race, but he goes well on good ground and the yard couldn’t be in better from. Neville’s Cross looked better than ever when beating three rivals at Kempton last month. He’s been raised 6lb for that success but looks progressive, is well suited to good ground and should give another good account here. Another on an upward curve is Gats And Co who impressed with his jumping when beating three rivals at Ffos Las 24-days ago. That was the 7-year-old’s fourth win in handicap chase company in 2022. He’s been raised 8lb, but we probably haven’t seen the best of him just yet and it’s interesting that connections come here rather than put him away until the autumn.
Betting Advice:
Curragh
2:40 – 1pt win – Blairmayne – 12/1 – Gen and 1pt win – Heavenly Power – 12/1 @ Bet365
3:10 – 1pt win – Big Gossey – 16/1 @ Bet365 and 1pt win – Blind Beggar – 12/1 @Bet365
4:20 – 1pt win – Aingeal Dorcha – 9/1 – Gen
Uttoxeter
3:00 – 1pt win – Gats And Co – 6/1 @ Paddy Power & Betfair Sportsbook and 1pt win – Sizing Cusimano – 12/1 @ Bet365
Cheers
John