Irish Group Racing Tips This Weekend

What a weekend of Irish Racing. We preview 4 Group Races starting with the Group 1 Irish Derby on Saturday and finishing with the Group 1 Pretty Polly on Sunday. They race on good ground this weekend at the Curragh so there are no excuses for anyone.

Saturday 5.20 Dubai Duty Free Group 1 1 mile 4 furlongs

Harzand is the deserved favourite after his Epsom success and in this race he doesn’t have US Army Ranger to take him on so in theory the job should be easier. Idaho and Red Verdon were in behind at Epsom and unless the more orthodox track brings about a lot of improvement or one horse dramatically improves for that race then these three will fight it out again with the result being the same. So 5/6 with Racebets looks far too long and the best odds on value you will see. It wont last so get stuck in now (price right at time of printing).

Sunday 2.45 Finlay Volvo International Stakes – Group 3   1 mile 2 furlongs

Only 5 runners go to post in this Group 3 and it is genuinely hard to make a case for anyone other than Sir Isaac Newton. Yes – I know its all relative  – but he looks the business.  Its possible that this might come too soon after Ascot but his stable don’t have to run him and they know their horses very well.  This is his trip and Ryan Moore delivered him perfectly at Ascot and knows him well now. Sanus Per Aquam, the 3 year old could give him most to do, with 3yo’s having a decent record in this race and in receipt of 8lbs from the favourite.

Sunday 3.45 Grangecon Stud Stakes – Group 3  – Fillies  2yo   6f

Ellery Lane interests us, as hers was a decent debut win at Limerick and she was a comfortable winner of a 7f  race. A truly run 6f will really suit  as she has a turn of foot. Magical Fire was behind Cuff two back and then a winner for Kieren Fallon on her latest run which looks okay but she has to improve again to win this race. Seafront was also up against Cuff and put in a big figure that day but again, has she done all improving at 2 now? The same could be said for Spy Ring who was also in the Cuff race and might be open to more improvement than the previous two horses. At the prices we will side with Ellery Lane who has the potential to improve past all of them and is attractively priced.

Sunday 4.20 Sea the Stars Pretty Polly  Stakes – Group 1  Fillies and Mares 1 mile 2 furlongs

Minding will be all the rage and rightly so. She has just one blip to her name, beaten over a trip too short here. She will need to be handy but will have too much class for both Bocca Baciata and Lucida who we expect to follow her in. They simply have to give her too much weight. So she might be short but she will win. Sometimes you don’t have to look further than the obvious – this is one of those times.