2023 Curragh and Deauville Sunday Tips – DS
2023 Curragh and Deauville Sunday Preview
It wasn’t a bad day for us on Saturday. No winners but we landed our NAP and NB at the Curragh and we nicked a couple of places at Ascot too. Dave Stevos is back in action this afternoon with his 2023 Curragh and Deauville Sunday tips. He has three e/w selections, hopefully we can get back into the winner’s enclosure.
3.20 Curragh – La Celia Wines Handicap (90=10st)
With Duke Of Leggagh in here, this should be run at a proper pace. I’m a big fan of Mick Mulvany’s son of Tough As Nails but whether the ground is going to be testing enough for him today, I’m not so sure. I have a dreadful recent record tipping up Mulvany horses anyway so we’ll look elsewhere for a bit of e/w value.
One that will be suited by an honest gallop over this 10f trip is Halla Ban. Trained by Jim Bolger, she is the mount of Rory Cleary. This daughter of Parish Hall has won one of her seven career starts, her last run over this sort of trip at Roscommon (10.5f gd/yld). She had stayed on well at Gowran on her previous run over 9.5f and she needed every inch of the step up in trip to score at Roscommon.
On her last two starts at 12f she probably didn’t stay. She was far too keen on her last outing here in the Apprentice Derby and she finished that 12f contest weakly. She’s now just 1lb higher than when winning at Roscommon, this is the trip she is best over and Rory Cleary is back in the plate. Hopefully he can get this filly settled early and if he does, she can stay on to land place money at odds of 16/1.
2023 Curragh and Deauville Sunday Tips: Halla Ban e/w @ 16/1 (4 Places) NAP
3.26 Deauville – Prix Jacques le Marois (Group 1)
The big race of the day on Sunday is this 8f G1 from Deauville. It will be run on drying ground and by the time of the race, it should be close to good. I had my eye on Light Infantry last night for this at around 22/1. It seems like I wasn’t the only one looking at him because his price has shortened considerably.
The one that stands out as being most overpriced this morning is Hi Royal. One of two runners for Jaber Abdullah, William Buick rides (Ryan Moore is on his other one). This horse finished off last season with a win in a Novice at Ayr (8f gd). He then returned with a fine effort on soft ground at Newmarket in a minor race over 7f on his seasonal reappearance.
2000 Guineas
Next, Hi Royal headed back to HQ for the 2000 Guineas (8f sft). Sent off at 125/1, the son of Kodiac ran a mighty race, finding just Chaldean too good by 1.75L. Ryan’s charge proved that was no fluke on his next outing in the Irish Guineas at the Curragh (8f gd). This time he finished an excellent third, just 2.75l behind the second coming of Christ, Paddington.
It seems that the oddsmakers have dismissed this horse’s chances on the back of one poor run at Deauville over 7f. The usually prominent racer was a bit slowly away and never got into contention. The step back up to a mile will suit, the drying ground will suit (form of 313 on good or quicker) and the first time cheekpieces will hopefully sharpen him up from the gate.
It is hard to read into which Abdullah horse is considered the ‘first string’ on jockey bookings. Ryan Moore is 8/42 with 14 top 4 finishes for the owner. Buick is 7/37 with 14 top 4 finishes. Nothing in it. There is certainly something in it in terms of price though and on his two Guineas efforts, surely Hi Royal is far too big at 33/1. At those odds, he is worth chancing e/w.
2023 Curragh and Deauville Sunday Tips: Hi Royal e/w @ 33/1 NB
3.50 Curragh – Irish EBF Stakes (Listed)
A big field of fifteen fillies will be hoping to earn some precious black type in this 10f Listed race. With the step back up to 10f sure to suit, perhaps Getawiggleon can sneak into the frame. Trained by David Geary, this mare has looked a different horse since returning from a near two year spell off the track.
On her return to action at Gowran Park (9.5f gd) she landed a handicap in fine style off 69. The feedback from Seamie Heffernan must have been good because Geary pitched his mare into a Listed race at Killarney on her next start (8f yld).
Off Her Feet
Colin Keane was on board and his mount was taken off her feet early on. She became quite detached in the middle part of the race and half a mile out it looked like she might tail off. However, Keane switched her wide on the turn in and while she couldn’t reach the leaders, she did stay on pretty nicely to end up finishing 7th of 11, 6l behind the winner Indian Wish but only 4L behind Giladah in third.
The fact that Geary is persisting at this level suggests Keane advised him to go for another Listed race. This trip will suit her much better and she has run ok on two of her previous three outings at the Curragh. Niall McCullagh will ride this time and I’d imagine his instructions will be to ride her quietly and try to come home well and finish in the first three.
Azazat does set a decent standard on her best form but it does look quite open otherwise. Hopefully Getawiggleon can finish off strongly and hit the frame at odds of 66/1.
