2024 Curragh Phoenix Stakes Meeting Preview – DS
2024 Curragh Phoenix Stakes Meeting
Divina Grace ensured we turned another profit last weekend. We narrowly missed out on a place with Dancing Tango and our e/w NAP Rumstar missed a place by a head but could have won on another day. The Shergar Cup is live on ITV this weekend but that format doesn’t really float my boat. However, we do have Group 1 action in Ireland on Saturday, 2024 Curragh Phoenix Stakes meeting tips and previews are below.
2.50 – Irish EBF Fillies’ Juvenile Race (2yo)
Nothing appeals at a price in the first two races so we’ll start with this 2yo race. It is for fillies only and it is restricted to horses that have not run before June 1st and that have not placed in pattern company. Unraced fillies get a 3lb allowance from those that have raced and to be honest, the two that have seen the track don’t set that taxing a standard.
Ballet Slippers shaped nicely enough on her sole start to date three weeks ago, beaten 4.5L into third. She should improve for that initial effort and she is the mount of stable jockey Ryan Moore. Girl Like You also ran a nice race on her debut behind Tunbridge Wells for Joseph O’Brien.
She got upset in the stalls before her last run when well beaten so I’d be willing to put a line through that. Her debut run is arguably the best piece of form on offer in the race and I’d certainly prefer to be with her at 7/1 rather than backing Ballet Slippers at 7/4.
Interesting Newcomers
Aidan and Joseph both run a pair of newcomers too, as does Donnacha. Falling Snow is by Justify and she is rumoured to be a chin measured 16.8 hands high (only joking). She is out of Winter, a multiple G1 winner on the track, but she has yet to hit the same heights as a broodmare. Her three runners to date have won just one 2yo race between them and that was a backend maiden at Dundalk.
Tea Rose is the mount of Wayne Lordan and she has a pedigree to die for. By Frankel, who needs no introduction, and out of the late Marsha, who died at the age of ten last year. She was a very fast mare for Mark Prescott who won Group 1s at York and in France but her sole runner to date only made the track once for Aidan O’Brien and finished well beaten.
Celtic Motif goes for Joseph and she cost 225k euros as a yearling. Her two half siblings that have made the track were pretty average and this daughter of Saxon Warrior is probably best watched on her racecourse debut.
Outsider
At double figure odds, the Willie Browne debutant Just Before is interesting. She is owned by Mrs John Magnier and the only filly Browne trained for her before won on her debut as a 2yo. By Justify, this filly is a half-sister to multiple winners including Ancient Rome (G3 winner and G1 placed at 2yo) and Etoile (2yo G3 winner on debut). Her dam Gagnoa also won a juvenile Group 3.
She is certainly bred to win as a 2yo and she’ll be getting a nice bit of weight from her rivals thanks to James Ryan’s 5lb claim. On pedigree, quick ground should suit and her sire has an excellent record with his 2yo runners on these shores.
Without the benefit of seeing horses work at home, it is always risky backing unraced 2yos so stakes should be kept to a minimum. However, Just Before is too well bred to ignore and she’d be much shorter if an O’Brien were training her. At odds of 22/1, she is a speculative e/w selection.
2024 Curragh Phoenix Stakes Meeting Tip: Just Before e/w @ 22/1
3.25 – Phoenix Sprint Stakes (Group 3)
The bookies reckon the key piece of form for this race is the Deauville G3 in which Electric Storm and Shartash finished close up behind the 112 rated Shouldvebeenaring. The former horse heads the market at around 7/2 and Shartash is third best in the betting at 5/1.
James Tate’s 4yo is somehow rated 10lb inferior to Shartash despite beating him last time. 101 underestimates her ability by some distance in my opinion and on her last run, she is easily at least a 109/110 filly. If she manages to win this, she should get the rating she deserves.
Shartash, on the other hand, has remained on the same rating of 111 despite failing to win the last twice and the worry for his supporters is that he has run dreadfully on his last two visits to this track. He blew the start in this race last year and finished last, then he was beaten 13L over C&D a month later behind Go Athletico.
Strong Pace
This looks like it will be run at a pretty strong pace. Twilight Jet always likes to get on with things and the likes of Shartash, Big Gossey and maybe Moss Tucker will be up there in the early stages. Ano Syra, placed for us a couple of times at silly odds, can race prominently but I would prefer to see her dropped in behind the early pace, just like she was when beaten just 0.5l for us at 50/1 in the G2 Greenlands back in May.
In that contest she had Art Power (116), Shouldvebeenaring (113), Moss Tucker (114) and Matilda Picotte (111) in behind her. It continued her excellent string of runs over 6f on good or quicker at the Curragh, where she has racked up form figures of 23332, all in Group 2, Group 3 and Listed company.
John James Feane has decided to put cheekpieces on her for the first time and I am hoping they eke out that little bit of improvement she needs to get her head in front in one of these races.
Ground Concern
Moss Tucker needs no introduction to regular readers and I am a huge fan of his. He won this on good ground last year and he looked as good as ever when hacking up on his return to action at Naas back in April. However, he was well beaten over this C&D on quick ground last time and with no rain forecast, I am happy to leave him alone on this occasion.
Big Gossey loves it here but he has tended to come up short when running at this level. The other one in here that should be suited by a strong pace is Torivega. We’ve backed him in hot handicaps the last twice and he has had no luck in running.
If he got a clear run here the last day, he’d probably be coming into this race rated 105/106 and he’d be a lot shorter than 25/1. I’m probably going to have a small bet on him too but Ano Syra has proved she can compete at this level, conditions look perfect and hopefully she is held up for a late run. If she is, she is capable of going very close at odds of 16/1.
2024 Curragh Phoenix Stakes Meeting Tip: Ano Syra e/w @ 16/1 (4 places) nap
4.00 – Holden Plant Rentals Handicap (100 = 10st)
Another race that looks like it’ll be run at a breakneck gallop. I think the race could set up perfectly for Greek Flower but she is no use to us at odds of just 3/1. None of the horses at double figure odds make enough appeal to justify having a bet. We’ll leave this race alone.
2024 Curragh Phoenix Stakes Meeting Tip: No bet
4.35 – Keeneland Phoenix Stakes (Group 1)
A fascinating race, even with just six runners. The oddsmakers make it more or less a match with Whistlejacket 4/5 for Aidan O’Brien, the unbeaten Babouche 11/4 for Ger Lyons and the rest are 9/1 or bigger. Is it as simple as that? I am not so sure.
Whistlejacket is a front runner, as is his stablemate Heavens Gate. Arizona Blaze also usually shows plenty of early speed and if those three fight it out for the lead, surely this might set up for a closer. Babouche made all on debut but she was ridden a bit more patiently last time and that tactical versatility could stand to her.
British Raider
However, there isn’t much juice in her odds of 11/4. Another one that should enjoy coming late off a fast pace is the British raider, Shadow Army. A debut winner over 5f at York, he was then sent off the 4/1 fav for the Listed Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot. He sort of got lost in the crowd in that massive field and finished in mid division but it was a daunting task on just his second start and it was much more like it at Chantilly last time.
A shade slowly away, James Doyle anchored him out the back early on in that G2. He still looked a bit green in the early stages and halfway through, it looked like he’d finish well beaten. However, he really started to hit top gear inside the final furlong and he ran on strongly close to home for second, beat 0.5L behind Arabie. The first time cheekpieces might help him focus better in the early part of the race, hopefully Shadow Army can finish off fast and late under James Doyle at odds of 14/1.
2024 Curragh Phoenix Stakes Meeting Tip: Shadow Army e/w @ 14/1
5.10 – Sheehy Motors CUPRA Handicap (80 = 10st)
Last year, Secret Magician won this race off 73. He lost his form afterwards but he bounced back with a 7f win at Naas earlier this week and he is back for a repeat bid off 5lbs lower. He clearly has leading claims if in the same form again but I am going to take a chance on an old boy that finished eleventh in this last year.
Ice Cold In Alex may have got an ‘0’ for that run but he was only 4.75l behind the winner and 3.75L off a place. The now 10yo was running off a mark of 83 and he is back to have another go off 11lbs lower. On his last two visits to this track he has finished third, beaten 1.75L over 6.5F and 0.5L over 7f. He was disappointing at Leopardstown last time but he got too far back and I am willing to forgive that effort.
His last win came over this C&D on good ground in August 2022 off 82 and in total, he has won four times at the Curragh. He’s 6lbs better off with Secret Magician compared to last year’s race and he’s also 13lbs better off with The Organiser, who finished just over 3L in front of him. Obviously, he isn’t getting any younger but on this season’s evidence he might just have one more win in him and at odds of 33/1, it is worth chancing Ice Cold In Alex e/w.
