Curragh Derby Meeting Saturday Tips

We had no places at the Curragh on Friday but we at least had one winner. Camorra was given a more aggressive ride and he won well at 10/1. Mile End was too green and never got into it. Rhodesia ran a very good race, it just looked like she wasn’t there to win. Camdeboo was withdrawn and Sequioaspirit was given too much to do. They went a crawl in the 7.53 and Lily Like couldn’t get into the race. Scenic Look ran a cracker but got run out of the places close home. Check out Dave Stevos’ Curragh Derby Meeting Saturday tips below.

1.25 – Dubai Duty Free Dash (Listed)

A Listed 6F sprint kicks off proceedings at the Curragh on Saturday. Very little of the forecast rain arrived and there isn’t much due tomorrow so the ground will likely be good again. Ger Lyons was amongst the winners on Friday and he fires two bullets. I was down in Cork to see Power Under Me win and he was really impressive. The form of that race has worked out very well and the ground was likely too soft for him the last day. If he rediscovers that Cork form, he is the one to beat.

Chris Hayes gets the leg up on Lyons’ other runner, Pirate Jenny. This filly is 2/4 so far and she was only a head behind Geocentric in a Listed heat last time at Cork (5f gd). She landed a handicap by 0.75L on her sole run over today’s C&D, beating our selection for that race Beautiful Sunshine into 2nd. The Murray horse re-opposes here but she is 3lbs worse off.

However, Beautiful Sunshine ran a very decent race at Ayr last time in a Listed contest (5f gd). She shaped as though stepping back up to 6f would suit and Jake Coen is reunited with her. A rating of just 87 leaves her with plenty to find but she probably ran to 90+ when 2nd to Pirate Jenny and she was only 2L behind the 97 rated Guilded at Ayr. At odds of 28/1, hopefully she can stay on late for a place.

Curragh Derby Meeting Saturday Tips: Beautiful Sunshine e/w @ 28/1 (4 places Paddy Power)

2.00 – Summer Fillies’ Premier Handicap (0-100)

A pretty underwhelming turnout of just 11 for this Fillies’ Premier Handicap. The trip is 7f and Emilie Gray is edging favouritism for Weld and Danny Gilligan. She was last sighted in a handicap back in September when 2nd at Listowel off 87. She has had four runs in stakes company since and she finally earned black type in Germany last time. However, the daughter of Dubawi seems to enjoy cut in the ground so she’ll be hoping for rain.

With Joey Sheridan claiming 3lbs, perhaps Affable can get her head in front for Ken Condon. This daughter of New Approach ran a blinder on her last visit to the Curragh. She flew home late over 6f for 3rd behind Pirate Jenny and Beautiful Sunshine and hopefully they frank the form in the opener. She is in off the same rating today and you can forget her last run at Gowran as not much went right.

Affable ducked when leaving the stalls and was also bumped which wasn’t ideal. Sheridan got her into a relatively prominent position, very different tactics to those deployed when she ran so well at the Curragh. She wasn’t disgraced and she kept on well but I am hoping that connections revert to more patient tactics tomorrow. Neptune Rock is one to keep a very close eye on too but at 16/1, Affable is preferred e/w.

Curragh Derby Meeting Saturday Tips: Affable e/w @ 16/1 (4 places Coral)

2.35 – Celebration Stakes (Listed)

This is a fascinating Listed race. Raadobarg broke our hearts in the Lincoln earlier this season and he is fav. However, the forecast rain has not arrived and he is most effective on soft ground. Unless the heavens open, he could be vulnerable. Ger Lyons runs two and Straight Answer is the mount of stable jockey Colin Keane. He ran a nice race last time at Leopardstown (7f gd/yld) behind Dr Zempf. They way he finished suggested a mile would suit and the former course winner should go close.

The bookies haven’t missed him though and I think there could be some value in backing Lyons’ other runner, Sh Boom, instead. Gary Carroll rides this daughter of War Command and she’ll enjoy the nice ground. She ran a cracker in a G2 over today’s C&D last time, finding just Pearls Galore too good. She too is a former course winner and the last time Carroll rode she was beat just 0.5L in a Curragh G3 over 7f on yielding.

Thunder Beauty was 0.75L behind Sh Boom in the G2 she ran in last time and she went on to run a huge race behind Saffron Beach at Royal Ascot. With doubts about the ground for a couple of these and with The Acropolis struggling for form, Sh Boom can hopefully nick some more place money at odds of 14/1.

Curragh Derby Meeting Saturday Tips: Sh Boom e/w @ 14/1

3.05 – Railway Stakes (Group 2)

Just the six runners and not a race I’ll be betting on. Blackbeard ran really well at Ascot and he could resume winning ways. Michael O’Callaghan hasn’t stopped whinging about Crispy Cat since he was emphatically beaten by The Ridler but he has only a short head to find with Blackbeard on their meeting here in May. Shartash is unproven on fast ground, Age Of Kings has a bit to find on Ascot form and of those at bigger odds, Apache Outlaw looks like one that could possibly go well. However, with just two places on offer, this is a race to avoid.

Curragh Derby Meeting Saturday Tips: No Bet

3.45 – Irish Derby (Group 1)

The big one and amazingly, Aidan O’Brien runs just one horse. Tuesday was supplemented earlier this week and he pulled all of his other entries. Tuesday landed the Oaks last time out but it was a race Emily Upjohn should have won comfortably. She bids to become the first filly to win this race in over 25 years and I am not sure she’ll be good enough to beat the colts.

Rob Hornby was jocked off Westover after his luckless passage at Epsom. The way this horse finished his race off was hugely promising and he won’t be too worried about what the weather does. Colin Keane is riding out of his skin and this son of Frankel holds obvious claims. However, I am not sure that the Derby was the best renewal ever and he could be worth taking on.

Lionel Interesting

At the prices, Lionel looks an intriguing contender for David Menuisier and Jamie Spencer. This son of Lope De Vega has had just the three starts so far. He ran well on heavy when a close 2nd on debut at Newbury (8f). On his seasonal reappearance he ran another cracker, this time on good ground at Newbury behind Natural World and Ottoman Fleet (11f gd). He reversed the form with the former horse on his next outing at Goodwood (11f sft) and Ottoman Fleet won a listed race next time out.

The 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th from that Newbury maiden have all won since. It was soft ground for his Goodwood win but he should be absolutely fine on good. His dam won her Group 2 on good ground and her half brother Duncan won the Irish St Leger on his last ever start and was a multiple stakes winner on good to firm. Lionel will need to improve again but that is a real possibility and at odds of 10/1, he is worth backing e/w.

Curragh Derby Meeting Saturday Tips: Lionel e/w @ 10/1 NB

4.20 – International Stakes (Group 3)

Having tipped up Vega Magnifico for the Derby, I obviously think he has a big chance here. However, he isn’t 50/1 for this race and odds of 6/1 aren’t big enough to tempt. At the prices Bear Story makes some appeal at 9/1 now dropped back in distance. He disappointed in a Group 1 last time but his previous excellent efforts behind Lafayette would give him huge place claims at the very least. If I was having a bet, he’d be the one but with just seven runners, I am happy to sit this one out. No bet.

Curragh Derby Meeting Saturday Tips: No bet

4.50 – Premier Handicap (0-100)

Two years ago, Big Baby Bull landed a valuable 7f handicap at this meeting off 86 on good ground. He beat Current Option by 1.25L and he now bids to repeat the trick over 8f. He won over the distance back when trained by Richard Hannon and he ran reasonably well on his sole try over today’s trip at the Curragh on good ground. On that occasion he was beaten 6L off 87 and he is in off 84 today.

Last time out Tony Martin’s charge ran down the field in a minor 7f handicap at Cork under Seamie Heffernan on his first start for the County Meath trainer. He keeps the ride today and you’d expect a big chunk of improvement with that run under his belt. It was his second start of the season when he won at this meeting in 2020 and Martin has decided to chart a similar route this time.

On his last visit to the Curragh back in September Big Baby Bull ran a super race behind Sh Boom. He was beat just 2.5L for the win in 5th and the winner is now rated 12lbs higher. Our selection was conceding 4lbs to the winner so if he can repeat that tomorrow, surely he can outrun his odds of 16/1.

Curragh Derby Meeting Saturday Tips: Big Baby Bull e/w @ 16/1 (6 places)

5.20 – 10F Handicap (0-95)

The one that interests me in this 10f handicap is Finans Bay for Mick Halford and Ronnie Whelan. This son of Kodiac will like the ground and he is down to a very attractive handicap mark. He hasn’t been seen to best effect on either start this season but he should be approaching peak fitness now. Three of his last four starts have come at Listed level and as a consequence his mark has fallen from 103 to 97.

That means he is now 5lbs lower than when going mightily close over C&D in a handicap in September. His run prior to that saw him finish within a 2.5L of the classy Earlswood in a C&D Group 3. Finans Bay’s only win to date came on heavy in 2020 but his best form is on better ground. He won’t mind if there is a drop of rain but the current conditions are fine. It was good ground when he chased home Sonnyboyliston over C&D off 92 in September 2020. At odds of 14/1, Finans Bay should be in the mix at the business end.

Curragh Derby Meeting Saturday Tips: Finans Bay e/w @ 14/1 (4 places) NAP

Newcastle and Newmarket Saturday Tips

-DaveStevos