Curragh Guineas Meeting Sunday Preview – DS
Curragh Guineas Meeting Sunday Preview and Tips
Saturday was a very mixed bag. There wasn’t a lot of rain at either Haydock or the Curragh. That put paid to the chances of both Ring Of Beara and Majestic Colt. Showalong at least ran his race and nicked place money in 4th, advised 20/1. Gis A Sub has regressed and Moss Gill needed the run. Imperial Fighter ran a huge race for us in the 2000 Guineas at 50s, grabbing 3rd. Let’s hope for better tomorrow, Curragh Guineas Meeting Sunday tips are below. You can see our 1000 Guineas preview by clicking here.
1.40 – EBF Fillies’ Maiden (2yo)
On Friday when I tipped up Jack Davison’s 2yo I gave Kevin Coleman’s runner Catherine Of Siena a mention. I thought the ground would be too slow for her but she ran a huge race at triple figure odds and wasn’t beaten far at all into 6th. Coleman is a trainer who has caught my eye in the last couple of seasons. He has had plenty of 2yos run well in maidens and a return of 3 winners and 10 places from 49 2yos runners is not a bad record at all for such a small yard.
Of his 21 2yo Curragh runners, four have managed to finish in the first four. He runs With Love in this, a daughter of the very promising sire Territories. She is a half sister to Youmzain Star, a horse who produced form figures of 1321 as a 2yo in France.
Her Shamardal dam is a half to two 2yo winners (including at Listed level) and one of her half sisters has produced two multiple 2yo winners. With Love is a February foal so she should be well developed physically and Seamie Heffernan finished 2nd on his only previous ride for Coleman. Given how many 2yo winners there are on the dam side of her pedigree, at 150/1 she is surely worth a quid or two e/w.
Curragh Guineas Meeting Sunday Tips: With Love e/w @ 150/1
2.10 – EBF Fillies’ Handicap (0-90)
We backed Beautiful Sunshine here three weeks ago over 7f. She wasn’t disgraced but after the race I thought she would benefit from a drop in trip. Adrian Murray clearly didn’t agree and she was stepped up to 8f in a Leopardstown G3. She actually showed up well for a long way but eventually her lack of stamina was exposed and she faded out of it.
Now, Murray drops this daughter of Ardad back to 6f and into handicap company. She is 2lbs lower than when beat 3.75L earlier this month and the recent rain is in her favour. Rossa Ryan takes over from Gary Halpin in the saddle and that is a big plus. He is 1/3 when riding for Murray and he is an excellent pilot. At odds of 25/1, Beautiful Sunshine is the each way selection.
Curragh Guineas Meeting Sunday Tips: Beautiful Sunshine e/w @ 25/1 (5 Places) NB
2.40 – Tattersalls Gold Cup (Group 1)
The first Group 1 of the day and 8 horses are due to go to post. I was put off Bear Story last time out because of the yielding ground. My fears were unfounded and Mick Halford’s charge ran an absolute cracker, going down narrowly by 0.75L to Lafayette. He has really responded to new quieter tactics the last twice and he is improving with every run.
Obviously, this is going to be his toughest test to date. He is taking on the likes of Lord North and State Of Rest, both rated 120. Alenquer (116) and Broome (118) are no mugs either. Those four are at the head of the market and Helvic Dream and High Definition are next at 12/1 and 14/1 respectively.
In the Alleged Stakes here in April (10f gd) Bear Story was a neck behind High Definition and over a length ahead of Helvic Dream. Then, last time in the Mooresbridge here he was 2L ahead of High Definition and the Ballydoyle horse had no excuses. How High Definition and Helvic Dream are 12s and 14s and Bear Story is 50s is beyond me. Hopefully a couple of the market leaders misfire and if they do, Bear Story could run into a place at odds of 50/1.
Curragh Guineas Meeting Sunday Tips: Bear Story e/w @ 50/1
3.10 – Lanwades Stud Stakes (Group 2)
Paddy Twomey is an upwardly mobile trainer and he runs two in this. Pearls Galore is the mount of stable jockey Billy Lee. The daughter of Invincible Spirit is an ultra-consistent sort and she looked better than ever on her return when justifying short odds at Leopardstown. The biggest threat to her looks to be the Joseph O’Brien trained Twilight Spinner. She scored in great style last time out over 7f here and if he stays this extra furlong, she shouldn’t be far away. However, on breeding, there are big stamina worries.
At massive odds, maybe Shahaada can sneak into the frame. This filly was initially trained by Kevin Prendergast. She only managed one win for him, a 9.5f Clonmel maiden. However, she rarely ran a bad race for him and that has continued for her new trainer. Since moving to Hayes she has run twice. Her stable debut saw her run a blinder over 8f at Limerick off 77 and she then picked up some black type in a Listed heat at Gowran (9.5f gd).
This daughter of Awtaad’s best form has come on turning tracks. She has only run once at the Curragh and that was an excellent effort on debut in what has turned out to be a strong fillies’ maiden. On the evidence of her Gowran run the drop back to 8f will suit and so will the bit of juice in the ground. Winning is probably beyond her but with three places available, Shahaada is the e/w selection.
Curragh Guineas Meeting Sunday Tips: Shahaada e/w @ 40/1
4.20 – Habitat Premier Handicap (0-100)
If the ground was softer, I’d be backing Lustown Baba here. She is mustard at this track on easy ground but unfortunately, conditions may just be a shade quick for her today. Verhoyen is in red hot form and he is one with obvious claims after his romp here on Friday. He is effective at 6f too but you’d just worry that this run may be coming a bit too soon. Winning in such decisive fashion has to have had some effect on him.
Rattled The Crossbar
Off a mark of 78, Mickey The Steel’s turn is surely near. He is somehow a maiden after 18 starts but he has rattled the crossbar plenty of times. He has finished second on no less than six occasions, including behind subsequent Premier Handicap winner Lord Dudley on his seasonal return off 78. Hs best effort last season arguably came over today’s C&D in August. Joe Murray’s horse was beat just 2.5L into 3rd behind Texas Rock.
Mickey The Steel was in off 83 that day and today, he is racing off 78. He shaped well at Naas last time out when 4th on ground probably soft enough for him. I’d imagine Murray twigged that this horse has a big day in him after he saw what Lord Dudley did at Cork and this race has probably been the plan since. He is 7lbs lower than he was when meeting Lord Dudley with Wesley Joyce’s claim and at odds of 16/1, Mickey The Steel looks a cracking e/w bet.
