After last week's top-class action at Royal Ascot, attention turns to the Curragh this weekend for some more cracking Flat racing.
After last week’s top-class action at Royal Ascot, attention turns to the Curragh this weekend for some more cracking Flat racing.
There are no fewer than four Group contests on Saturday’s card, including an intriguing renewal of the Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes.
We bring you a trio of selections to follow from the Curragh on Saturday, including a last-time-out winner who looks capable of another big run.
Saturday’s tips
14:55 Curragh – Trustyourinstinct @ SP
16:05 Curragh – Hemight @ SP
16:40 Curragh – Collective Power @ SP
14:55 Curragh – Trustyourinstinct @ SP
This doesn’t look like the strongest Group 3 race around and the one who looks capable of taking advantage is Trustyourinstinct.
Joseph O’Brien’s son of Churchill was successful at Group 3 level last season and has to carry a penalty for that success but he’s arguably in even better form since getting back on home soil this season.
He was out of his depth in a strong Group 2 at Riyadh in the off-season, but shaped with plenty of promise on his first run off the plane when placed at Naas and duly came on for that outing when chasing home Los Angeles and White Birch in the Mooresbridge Stakes, two bonafide Group 1 performers.
Trustyourinstinct confirmed the promise of that run with an easy Listed win over further here last time out and that form has received a significant boost since with Magical Hope who was back in third, landing a Group 3 contest subsequently.
He’s just as effective back at this sort of distance and his main rivals here are either past their best, lack a recent run or arrive out of form so he makes plenty of appeal with the ground also in his favour.
16:05 Curragh – Hemight @ SP
Hemight is another last-time-out winner at the Curragh who might be worth chancing in the Ladies’ Derby on Saturday.
He broke his maiden tag at Gowran Park last time out in a competitive looking contest and he retains the partnership with Sylvia O’Donnell, a jockey that has made a promising start to her career and is still able to claim 7lb.
Hemight is up 8lb for the Gowran success, but he stayed on really well that day, suggesting there could be improvement for this new trip and he may represent some each-way value in a competitive heat.
16:40 Curragh – Collective Power @ SP
Eddie Lynam is a trainer who excels with his sprinters and he has Collective Power in the penultimate contest on Saturday’s card.
He scored from this mark on the all-weather earlier in the campaign and has been running well in defeat since, including when meeting some trouble over this course and distance last time out.
He now gets the services of Colin Keane, who has been in cracking form this season and, with good ground in his mount’s favour, he looks like the one to beat.
