2023 Curragh Leger Trial Day Preview & Tips – DS
2023 Curragh Leger Trial Day Tips
Our UK bets were an unmitigated disaster yesterday. The less said about them the better. We started in the same vein at the Curragh with Mindful Applause running no sort of race. Mads Black Eights ran a cracker. It looked like she was coming to win but the horses coming down the outside swamped her. Our NB Kalispera saved the day by finishing 3rd and even better, drifting to 80/1. Hopefully we can land another nice place or two on Sunday, 2023 Curragh Leger Trial Day tips are below.
2.00 – Irish EBF Median Sires Maiden (2yo)
You’d think I would have learned my lesson after getting involved in yesterday’s maiden but I just can’t resist having a small e/w bet on Barley Cove in this 2yo maiden. Eddie Lynam has his horses in serious form and this fella looks a massive price at 100/1. Yes, he bombed out on debut at Fairyhouse but it was a lot more like it at Naas last time out (5f yld/sft).
Just like on debut, this full brother to Mums Tipple was a shade slow from the gates. Ben Coen was happy to sit out the back of the near side group alongside the jolly Edwardian. Just after the 3f pole Coen began to push Barley Cove out and it looked like he might get outpaced. However, once he administered a couple of liveners his mount ran on very nicely and he was only 3.5L behind the winner and 2L behind Perfect Judgement at the line.
Trip To Suit
The step back up to 6f looks sure to suit this colt. The booking of James Ryan may make a difference too. With his claim, Barley Cove is 7lbs better off with Perfect Judgement for a 2L margin. Ryan has a fine record for Lynam too, 4/19 with a further 9 top 4 finishes. There is every chance this horse is out for a mark and won’t be trying but on the evidence of Naas he is capable of getting closer to Perfect Judgement, a 5/1 shot. Barley Cove is 100s, I know who I’d rather be on.
2023 Curragh Leger Trial Day Tip: Barley Cove e/w @ 100/1
3.00 – Bord Na Mona Handicap (3yo+)
The previous nursery handicap is a race I’ll leave alone. The outsiders are all handicap debutants so it is a race best watched. We have some familiar faces in this 6f handicap. Course specialist Big Gossey ran another excellent race behind Moss Tucker in a G3 last time and he could be dangerous with Robert Whearty taking off a valuable 7lbs. However, this is a modest pot by his standards and they may use this race to get a pound or two back.
Another horse that likes it at the Curragh is Prisoners Dilemma. He shaped nicely over 5f here on his second start of the season, keeping on well without threatening. On his last C&D start a year ago he won this race. That was off 103 with Joey Sheridan claiming 3lbs, he is back for a repeat bid off 93.
The 7yo son of Toronado has got form figures of 12 over 6f here, including a close 2nd in Listed company in June 2022. The more the ground the dries out, the better, and he has run well on both his starts since returning from Dubai. He had almost an identical prep for last year’s race, running 8 days before it, hopefully history repeats itself. At 16/1, Prisoner’s Dilemma looks a solid e/w bet.
2023 Curragh Leger Trial Day Tip: Prisoner’s Dilemma e/w @ 16/1 (4 places) NAP
3.30 – Irish EBF Curragh Stakes (Listed)
This is a really interesting Listed race. Gunzburg is out so just nine remain in the running. Kieran Cotter runs two here and they are both talented horses.
Sturlasson is the mount of Gary Carroll and he is one of just four horses that have got to within 2.5L of Bucanero Fuerte this year. That came on debut here back in March and it was on very testing ground.
He beat Alabama when finishing 2nd at Cork next time out behind subsequent G3 runner up Noche Magica, again on soft/heavy. Things didn’t go to plan at Down Royal on faster ground on his last start and he probably would have preferred more rain this weekend. However, he’s a talented horse and it wouldn’t surprise me if he outran his odds.
Drying Ground
Son Of Corballis, on the other hand, will enjoy the drying ground. This strapping chestnut son of Raven’s Pass is a fine stamp of a horse and I was at Tipperary for his debut. He beat Edwardian handily that day (5f yld) and you can put a line through his below par effort at Sandown second time up.
He confirmed that debut promise with a Listed win at Tipperary (5f gd), beating Alabama and Gaenari by a neck. It was a cosier victory than the winning margin suggests and he won going away.
At Newbury last time the ground was no good for him but these drying conditions will suit a lot better. Declan McDonogh keeps the faith and I’m not sure why Alabama is 5/2 and Son of Corballis is as big as 9/1, even with a 3lb pull. Cotter’s charge has loads of speed and he should make a bold bid.
Overpriced
At odds of 16/1, G’Day mate looks overpriced too. Trained by Jessie Harrington, Scott McCullagh rides and he comes here on the back of a narrow maiden win at Bellewstown (5f yld). In that race he still looked green when he came under pressure but he knuckled down under a fierce Foley drive to get the job done.
On debut, the son of Havana Grey was beat 0.75L by Gunzburg at Down Royal (5f gd). That is solid form and given that he was still green last time at Bellewstown, there could be plenty more to come from this horse when he realises what the game is all about. Maybe this race might come too soon for him but he looks a promising horse and odds of 16/1 are big enough to warrant an e/w interest.
2023 Curragh Leger Trial Day Tip: G’Day Mate e/w @ 16/1
4.05 – Royal Whip Stakes (Group 3)
Just seven runners so we’ll swerve this race. We backed Young Ireland last time out and he ran an absolute stinker. He’s a better horse than that and the ground and trip today will suit him better. Rory Cleary takes over in the saddle and Jim Bolger’s horses are hitting form so if you were considering backing him, I wouldn’t put you off. It is a no bet race for me though.
2023 Curragh Leger Trial Day Tip: No Bet
4.35 – Irish St Leger Trial Stakes (Group 3)
Again, a small field and again, one to leave well alone. I have zero opinion on the race, no bet.
2023 Curragh Leger Trial Day Tip: no bet
5.05 – O’Shaughnessy Handicap (3yo+)
With Wesley Joyce taking off 7lbs, Florence Thompson is capable of outrunning her odds of 25/1. Trained by Joe Murray, this mare has produced some of her best form at the Curragh. She ran well at Naas and especially Cork earlier in the summer and this will be her first run of the season at this track.
This mare is a maiden after 41 starts but she has shown more than once she has a race in her. She was beat just 3.5L over 6f (gd) when 4th off 55 in August 2021. Then, on her next visit she was beat 0.75l over 7f off 61. This time last year she ran a lovely race off 52 over 5f (gd), finishing 4th of 21, 4L behind the winner Harry’s Hill.
With Wesley Joyce’s claim she is effectively 9lbs lower than she was for that run. The drying ground is a positive and she wears the usual cheekpieces/tongue tie combination. Given her course form, surely she’ll be trying her hardest to shed the maiden tag and at odds of 25/1, Florence Thomson is worth backing e/w.
2023 Curragh Leger Trial Day Tip: Florence Thompson e/w @ 25/1 (5 places)
5.35 – Apprentice Handicap (47-70)
At around 25/1, hopefully we can finish with a flourish with Lady Christa. Trained by Sheila Lavery, this daughter of Gustav Klimt made a very promising start to her career at Naas and Leopardstown as a 2yo. She qualified for a mark of 67 on her first outing as a 3yo and she has shown promise on two of her last four starts.
At Leopardstown (8f gd) on her handicap debut she endured a rough trip but she was only beat 5L into 6th. She was then short of room again on her next two starts at Leopardstown and at Killarney, both over a mile. Lavery dropped her back to 7f at the Curragh last time out and she ran a lovely race after getting a bit outpaced. She only finished 9th but she was only 5.25L behind the winner and 2L off 5th.
She ran through the line well that day so this step back up in trip should suit. The handicapper has given her another 2lbs back for that run so she is now 9lbs lower than when arguably unlucky at Leopardstown in early June. Cian MacRedmond is one of the more experienced pilots in this race, hopefully he can steer Lady Christa into the money at odds of 25/1.
