Curragh and Deauville Sunday Tips by Dave Stevos
Curragh and Deauville Sunday Racing Tips
It was a winnerless day for us on Saturday but we did manage to nick three places. Island Brave and Restorer both doubled in price to 16s and 28s respectively but they both landed place money in 4th and 3rd. Star Caliber was backed from 8/1 into 10/3 fav and he too nicked a place in 3rd. Internationaldream was never travelling and unfortunately, Victoria Grove’s lack of experience told in the Sweet Solera. Haydock has been abandoned so we are going to focus on France and Ireland today. Check out Dave Stevos Curragh and Deauville Sunday racing tips below.
2.50 Deauville – Prix Maurice de Gheest (Group 1)
First up on Sunday is this cracking G1 sprint and the ground at Deauville is good. Starman looks like he will be tough to beat in this. Ed Walker’s charge will love the conditions and he will be brimful of confidence after his July Cup win. Campanelle looks his biggest threat on paper. Wesley Ward’s sprinter gets an age and sex allowance from her older rival and she will like this ground better than the heavy she raced on last time out.
However, those two are short in the betting and one horse who has been completely overlooked again is Brando. He ran a huge race in the July Cup behind Starman last time out. He met trouble and had to switch but he flew home on the good to firm ground and he was only 2.75L behind the winner at the finish. Brando had Rohaan 2L behind and he is 2lb better off with the Evans horse today. Glen Shiel was only a length ahead of him. Only a nose separated the pair in the Champions Sprint Stakes at Ascot last October. Rohaan is 15/2, Glen Shiel is 10/1 and Brando is 33/1.
Kevin Ryan’s charge has run in this race three times before, all on good ground. He won in 2017, came 6th in 2018 and in 2019 he was only a neck behind Advertise in 2nd. Evidently, this course seems to really suit him. While I would have preferred a drop of rain to fall, I still think this 9yo is massively overpriced given how well he ran last time. At odds of 33/1, Brando is worth chancing each way for small stakes.
Curragh and Deauville Sunday Tips: Brando e/w @ 33/1 (4 places Hills)
3.05 Curragh – Phoenix Sprint Stakes (Group 3)
Just the seven line up in the stalls for this 6f Group 3. Light Refrain is the jolly for Haggas and Moore. By Frankel, this filly won well for the Queen at York last time out and she should appreciate the yielding ground at the Curragh. 6f looks her best trip and with the fillies’ and age allowances, the 3yo looks to hold a favourite’s chance. At bigger odds, perhaps Tereza Mendoza can sneak into the frame. Ken Condon’s daughter of Territories has been running well without winning. While she has a fair bit to find at the figures, she does carry less weight than all of her rivals.
Billy Lee’s mount won over C&D on her debut last season on ground very similar to today. She then ran a blinder in the G3 Round Tower before disappointing on her final start in the Moyglare. Ken Condon’s charge was an excellent 3rd behind Sonailya in a G3 back in June. She then ran another cracker behind Romantic Proposal in a Listed heat three weeks later. She ran well enough at Naas when 3rd last time on good ground but the return to the Curragh on a kinder surface should suit her better. At odds of 12/1, Teresa Mendoza is the each way selection.
Curragh and Deauville Sunday Tips: Teresa Mendoza e/w @ 12/1
4.10 Curragh – Keeneland Phoenix Stakes (Group 1)
The biggest race on Sunday’s Curragh card is the G1 Phoenix Stakes. British Raider Go Bears Go is the favourite for Loughnane and Rossa Ryan. He is 2/3 so far, with his last win coming here in the G2 Railway Stakes (6f gd) over a month ago. The son of Kodi Bear previously finished just a head behind Perfect Power in the Norfolk, proving he could handle a bit of cut.
Castle Star finished 2nd in the Railway Stakes and it is hard to see him turning the form around. Dr Zempf was the unlucky horse in that race and if he gets a clear run this time, he could pose the biggest threat to the favourite. He was the one that lost most ground in the scrimmaging that took place a furlong out and he was closing on the leaders all the way to the line.
Ground To Suit River
The one to be interested in at bigger odds is Ebro River who hails from the red hot Hugo Palmer yard. This horse is unbeaten on genuinely soft ground, winning a Novice and a Listed both over 5f. He ran a cracker in the Coventry on ground plenty quick for him. It was similar ground when he finished 1.5L behind Lusail in the G2 July Stakes.
At Goodwood last time he was a shade keen but he still finished less than a length behind Asymmetric in 4th. Perfect Power was a neck behind so on a line through him, this horse has nothing to find with Go Bears Go. Today’s yielding to soft ground should be perfect for him and Dusty Foley has been booked for the ride. At odds of 12/1, Ebro River is the each way selection.
Curragh and Deauville Sunday Tips: Ebro River e/w @ 12/1
4.40 Curragh – TRI Equestrian Handicap (0-95)
A mile is the trip for this open handicap and 15 are due to go to post. In the hope that the return to easier ground sparks him back to form, Wonder Elzaam could be worth chancing each way. Trained by Niall Egan, this 4yo has only had his preferred ground once this season. That was at Naas (7f sft) back in March and he won that handicap by a neck off 94. That saw his rating hiked up to 100 and in six outings since, he has only raced on good ground.
The best of those runs undoubtedly came here over 7f in the G3 Gladness Stakes. Wonder Elzaam finished 4th that day, just under 5L behind the easy winner Lancaster House. He was only 2L behind Galway winner Current Option and ahead of horses like Speak In Colours and Gustavus Weston. If he was to repeat that form today he would go very close off his current rating of 96. The step up to a mile is not a worry as he has won and placed at the distance at Dundalk.
He has run well on four of his five previous visits to the Curragh. The fact that Egan has booked Chris Hayes instead of using a claimer off top weight suggests that he thinks this horse is well handicapped. Hayes is 2/7 when riding for Egan and Wonder Elzaam has a nice high draw. With track, ground and trip all looking ideal, an each way bet is advised at odds of 18/1.
Curragh and Deauville Sunday Tips: Wonder Elzaam e/w @ 18/1 NB (4 places)
5.10 Curragh – Equine Hospital Handicap (0-85)
The one I like at a big price in this 6f handicap off a mark of 81 is Linda Barrett. Trained by Fozzy Stack, this 3yo was last sighted finishing down the field behind Sonailya in the G3 Ballyogan Stakes. She was badly out of her depth there but two of her previous three runs in handicap company suggest that she is worth taking a chance on today.
A maiden winner at Navan back in March (5f hvy), Linda Barrett then headed to Cork to make her handicap debut off 85 (5f yld). She finished 3rd, just 4L behind Logo Hunter (then rated 89) and 3.5L behind Mooniesta (then rated 89). Logo Hunter has since won two Listed heats and is rated 113. Mooniesta won a G2 last time and is now rated 109.
Next time out at Naas Linda Barrett was badly hampered so you can put a line through that run. On her penultimate start, again at Cork, she ran a creditable race off 82 behind Iva Batt. She was always on the back foot after missing the break slightly and that is never ideal at Cork over 5f. However, she did knuckle down well to finish strongly for 4th and that run gave the impression that 6f would suit. Cheekpieces replace the blinkers she wore last time and if she doesn’t act the maggot at the start, Linda Barrett is capable of running a big race off a mark of 81 at odds of 25/1.
