Friday Racing Tips and Preview by Dave Stevos
FRIDAY RACING TIPS CURRAGH – 2000 GUINEAS DAY
Under The Stars ran an ok race for us in the 1000 Guineas last week, she just didn’t stay. Kelly’s Dino bombed out and clearly needed the run. Protected Guest was given a ‘tender’ ride and he is most certainly one to keep an eye out for. Queen Daenerys ran a blinder for us, landing e/w bets at 9/1 in 2nd. Snazzy Jazzy drifted to 25/1 but ran a cracker in 4th (advised 4 places), less than 2L behind the winner. This weekend the focus will be on the Irish action for the 1000 and 2000 Guineas at the Curragh. Check out Dave Stevos free Friday racing tips for the best of the action below…
CURRAGH PREVIEW: 5.10PM – 6F HANDICAP (3YO+)
This is an extremely competitive looking 6f handicap and a field of 16 go to post. Nordic Passage returned to action in rude health at Naas on Monday and bids to follow up for Jimmy Levins and Donagh O’Connor. He won with any amount in hand and if he is in the same form a 6lb rise may not stop him. He will have plenty of supporters at around 4/1.
One that could go well at a massive price is the bottom weight, Never Back Down. He ran a very nice race behind Parkers Hill at Naas on Monday, finishing 5th beat 5L. It was an encouraging effort from a horse that won off 100 in 2018. He is effectively 30lb lower now when you consider Nathan Crosse’s 5lb claim. With a run under his belt and with trip and ground to suit an each way interest is advised at 25/1.
FRIDAY RACING TIPS: NEVER BACK DOWN E/W @ 25/1
FRIDAY RACING TIPS: 5.40PM – 7F HANDICAP (3YO ONLY)
A total of 17 horses will go to post for what looks another very tricky handicap. This is a 7f contest and United Front heads the market for Aidan O’Brien and Seamie Heffernan. He has strong maiden form behind Royal Lytham and he broke his duck at Dundalk back in February. He makes his handicap debut off a rating of 90 and that could be a generous opening mark.
However, Joseph O’Brien’s son of Zoffany, Bright Idea, could be even better treated off 82 on handicap debut. He was just over 3L behind Royal Dornoch (rated 110) at Gowran on his final run last season in a 7f yielding ground maiden. He had Agitaire a head behind in 4th and he is now rated 100. On pedigree 7f looks ideal and quick ground should suit him too. At odds of 12/1 Bright Idea is the each way NAP of the day.
CURRAGH FRIDAY RACING TIPS: BRIGHT IDEA E/W @ 12/1 5 PLACES NAP
CURRAGH FRIDAY PREVIEW: 6.10PM – GALLINULE STAKES (GROUP 3)
The first pattern race of the day live at the Curragh on Friday is the 10f Gallinule Stakes. Another 3yo only contest, 8 will go to post and Mythical is the current market leader at around 2/1. He showed some decent form last season after his maiden win. Mythical ran into a solid 4th at Newmarket in a G3 then finished off with a nice run in 3rd in a Saint-Cloud Group 1. He is the highest rated in the race by a distance and if he is effective on quick ground he should go very close.
At an absolutely huge price I think Dutch Admiral could outrun his odds for Cormac Farrell and Rory Cleary. This son of Dutch Art has progressed with every outing. His run behind Crossfirehurricane in a Listed heat at Dundalk was a fine effort. He was 5L behind the winner in that 8f contest and he showed he stays 10f with a good run behind Juliet Rose in a maiden at the same track. Quick ground should suit him and while an official rating of just 80 leaves him with plenty to find, I think he could be competitive at odds of 50/1. A small each way interest is advised.
FRIDAY RACING TIPS: DUTCH ADMIRAL E/W @ 50/1
FRIDAY RACING TIPs: 6.40PM – IRISH 2000 GUINEAS (GROUP 3)
The Irish 2000 Guineas is the feature race on Friday and 11 colts will go to post. Siskin is the favourite and on last year’s form he is the one to beat. However, rumours are circulating that he hasn’t really grown much and just like Pinatubo the others may well catch up with him here. Ger Lyons’ charge will definitely appreciate the quick ground though and his is a three time course winner over 6f. His pedigree suggests that this trip will pose no problems and connections will be hoping there is no repeat of his Newmarket stalls antics.
SIX BULLETS FOR O’BRIEN
Aidan O’Brien runs six here and on paper Armory looks his best hope. Last year’s Futurity Stakes winner here (7f yld), he found just Pinatubo too good next time. Heavy ground excuses his flop at Longchamp on his final start and this regally bred son of Galileo will be more at home on the good to firm ground at the Curragh. Wayne Lordan rides and this horse holds strong claims at odds of 4/1.
Lope Y Fernandez looks the first string on jockey bookings with Seamie Heffernan taking the ride. By Lope De Vega, this colt has lots of ability and he won the G3 Round Tower over 6f here last season. There are mixed messages in his pedigree regarding the suitability of a mile but if he stays he has the ability to feature.
Vatican City has the assistance of Padraig Beggy in the saddle and he looked a smart horse last time. He shaped well on debut when staying on over 7f at Newmarket and followed that up with a cosy win at Dundalk. He is a full brother to Gleneagles who won the Irish and English 2000 Guineas so he is bred for the job. Royal Lytham is by Gleneagles and he has form in the book with Siskin. So does Monarch Of Egypt and he could be overpriced at odds of 25/1.
BEST OF THE REST
Sinawann represents Mick Halford with Ronan Whelan in the plate. He showed smart form last season when chasing home Mogul in a G2 at Leopardstown over 8f (Rebel Tale back in 4th). He broke his maiden over course and distance on yielding ground, beating Agitaire by 1L. Whether that form is strong enough for this race is up for debate but Halford is no mug and he wouldn’t be running the horse if he didn’t think he could be competitive.
The one I like at a double figure price is Fiscal Rules for Jim Bolger and Kevin Manning. This horse ran just once as a 2yo, going down by a head to Wichita in a maiden here over 7f (yld). The vibes have been good about this colt and Jim Bolger knows what is required to win this race. A drop of rain would do his chances no harm and on the back of Wichita’s excellent effort in the English 2000 Guineas, Fiscal Rules looks capable of producing a big run.
CONCLUSION
This race revolves around whether Siskin has trained on. If he has, he has serious form claims but his odds are too skinny for my liking. Monarch Of Egypt has less than a length to find with Siskin on their last meeting and at the odds he surely represents a bit of each way value at 25/1. However, after Wichita’s superb effort at Newmarket Fiscal Rules is the each way pick. He looked a bit green when he hit the front here on his sole career start and he ought to have learned lots from that experience. A mile should be fine on breeding and at odds of 14/1 Fiscal Rules is worth backing each way.
FRIDAY RACING TIPS CURRAGH: FISCAL RULES E/W @ 14/1 nb (4 places)
CURRAGH FRIDAY: 7.15PM – IRISH LINCOLNSHIRE (PREMIER HANDICAP)
A reduced field of 18 go to post for this year’s Irish Lincolnshire. As ever, it looks an incredibly competitive race and that is reflected in the betting. Colin Keane landed the race last year on Karawaan and he teams up with Ado McGuinness this season. McGuinness runs three here and Keane is on Current Option, a hugely progressive son of Camelot. He was a close 2nd in the Cambridgeshire here last season over C&D and he signed off with a 7f win in the Sovereign Path off 89. The return to a mile should be fine and a 5lb rise to 94 may not be enough to halt his progress.
One horse who has gone in the opposite direction is Allegio. This horse was hammered by the handicapper after a 33L win at Cork on heavy ground in April 2018. He was hit with a 13lb rise and went from 88 to 101. He moved into Listed and Group 3 company afterwards and was only a head behind Zorion in a good to firm listed heat at Leopardstown. Allegio also finished 2nd in a Listed C&D contest here and he finished 2018 on a mark of 104.
To my eyes Denis Hogan spent the entirety of 2019 getting this horse back down the weights. It is mission accomplished and with Joey Sheridan’s claim he is effectively off 82 here. His trainer Denis Hogan has had a few winners already since the return of racing and his string is clearly in rude health. If Allegio can show the same level of form as his Listed and Group 3 runs at this track he is more than capable of hitting the frame at 33/1.
FRIDAY CURRAGH RACING TIPS: ALLEGIO E/W @ 33/1 (5 PLACES)
CURRAGH FRIDAY TIPS: 7.45PM – MOORESBRIDGE STAKES (GROUP 2)
The final race of the day on Friday at the Curragh is the Group 2 Mooresbridge Stakes. A field of 9 will go to post but 3 of them look to be way out of their depths. Given the recent form of the yard it could be worth siding with Leo De Fury here. This horse pushed Buckhurst all the way in a 10f Group 2 here last season, going down by a head. He had Guaranteed and Sir Dragonet behind him and it was a very decent run.
Admittedly, the ground was soft that day but the son of Australia hacked up on his only try on good to firm so the conditions should not be a problem. He wasn’t disgraced behind Norway in a G3 at Leopardstown (12f gd) when he clipped heels and stumbled, while his G2 effort at Longchamp behind Skalleti (10f Vsft) wasn’t bad either. The likes of Fleeting, Latrobe and Search For A Song will be tough to beat but if one or more of them have an off day then Leo De Fury could pick up the pieces. At odds of 10/1 he is worth backing each way.
