Curragh Sunday Racing Tips by Dave Stevos
Curragh Sunday Racing Tips
Saturday was all about Mac Swiney in the Irish 2000 Guineas. Rory Cleary gave him a peach and he fended off the late challenge of Poetic Flare bravely. Tribal Craft also won for us under an excellently judged ride by David Probert. We also had places at 22s, 12s, 16s, 14s and 33s. Tomorrow the 1000 Guineas is the feature and you can see my ante-post selection here. There is plenty of other high-class action on Sunday too, including the Gallinule Stakes and the Tattersalls Gold Cup. Let’s hope for more success this afternoon. Check out Dave Stevos’ Curragh Sunday racing tips below.
2.05 – Gallinule Stakes (Group 3)
We backed Earlswood last time out at Chester. I have to admit, I backed him ante-post for the Derby before that race too. I don’t think he ran that badly, the track was probably a bit too tight for him. He just didn’t really have the time to hit top gear after they turned into the straight. It was far from a poor run and he was only 3.75L behind the winner in 3rd. I think he will be much better back at the Curragh, a track he has run well at before.
Earlswood finished a close 3rd behind Arthur Toscanini here over 7f last season on heavy. On his debut here on yielding he was only 4.75L behind Saturday’s 2000 Guineas 3rd Van Gogh. It was heavy ground when he broke his maiden at Navan last month. He will relish the testing ground at the Curragh on Sunday. Johnny Murtagh’s horses are in decent shape and I believe this horse will ultimately rate much higher than 98. 8/1 looks a more than fair price and at those odds, Earlswood is worth backing e/w.
Curragh Sunday racing tips: Earlswood e/w @ 8/1 NB
2.40 – Tattersalls Gold Cup (Group 1)
I am torn between two horses in this 10.5f Group. Helvic Dream is a horse that owes us nothing. Noel Meade’s charge scored for us in good style at nice odds last season at this track (10f sft) and he shaped with lots of promise last time out over the same C&D behind Broome on yielding. He has been behind that horse on his last three starts but he has closed the gap on each occasion. It was 15L on his seasonal return, 3.5L in April and then 2L last time out. It would be no surprise if he got even closer again.
However, he is into 15/2 already and the other one I like is nearly quadruple that price. Sunchart also has form with Broome. He was only 3.5L behind the fav at Naas on his seasonal return (10f sft). It was a cracking effort and he was well fancied to go one better next time at Navan when he unseated Andy Slattery soon after the start.
This son of Teofilo is best with cut in the ground. It was heavy when he won his maiden at Tipperary. His career form figures on yielding or softer read 1222. Yes, he flopped in the St Leger last season but the ground was too quick. He should improve for that seasonal return behind Broome and on this testing ground I don’t see why he can’t repeat that level of form. The more rain that falls on Sunday, the better it will be for Sunchart’s prospects. At odds of 33/1, a small e/w interest is advised.
Curragh Sunday racing tips: Sunchart e/w @ 33/1
3.50 – Betway Handicap (4yo+)
This 10f handicap is a minefield. The bookies haven’t taken chances with many of them but one that could be a shade overpriced is Annexation for Lordan and De Bromhead. This 5yo son of Wootton Bassett is a decent hurdler. He is rated 131 in that sphere and he returns to the flat fit and ready to rock off a mark of 77. That is the same mark off which he was a close 2nd to Sirjack Thomas at Galway last August.
That was admittedly a much weaker race than the one he contests today. However, he has clearly improved as a horse since then judging by his excellent Grade 3 hurdles effort behind N’golo at Navan in November (16f sft/hvy). Both of his career wins have come on good ground but his very best form has come on similar ground to what he’ll encounter today.
Wayne Lordan has yet to finish out of the first two on this fella (122) and he has a fine record when riding for De Bromhead. From 116 rides he has 9 winners and 32 top 4 finishes. This horse should get the 10f trip given his hurdles form and with ground to suit, an each-way interest is advised at odds of 10/1.
Curragh Sunday racing tips: Annexation e/w @ 10/1 (4 places)
4.20 – Habitat Handicap (3yo+)
My idea of a solid each-way bet in this 8f handicap is Miss Myers. This filly has been frustrating to follow but I have zero doubts about her ability. The daughter of Zoffany has won just one of her 19 starts to date but she has often caught the eye at a much higher level than this. The problem for Miss Myers the past season or so has been her handicap mark.
After winning her maiden at Limerick in 2019 she was handed a rating of 76. Mick Grassick decided to pitch her in at G3 level on her return in 2020 and she ran a massive race at Naas, finishing a close up 4th at 100/1. That saw her rating hiked from 76 to 97, a rise that ruined her chance of being competitive in handicap company.
In saying that, she still managed to finish 2nd off 91 at Gowran last season and she also wasn’t beat that far off 92 at Navan. Since those two reversals I think connections decided she needed to come down the weights. Her next five runs were poor and as a result, she is down to 78 now. There were clear signs of a return to form last time at Roscommon when she stayed on late for 5th under Wayne Lordan and he keeps the faith. I think a huge run could be on the cards from this filly and she is the e/w pick at odds of 25/1.
