Irish Champions Weekend Curragh Tips Dave Stevos
Irish Champions Weekend Curragh Tips
I will be glad when this weekend is over. Yesterday was extremely frustrating, even if we did land places at 16s and 10s. What pissed me off most was the ride Rob Hornby gave Scope. After saying he would make use of his stamina before the race, he dropped out stone last and rode him for a turn of foot. Those tactics were never going to suit the son of Teofilo and while he stayed on well, he had no chance of getting into the frame because he was so far back. Hurricane Lane was a more than worthy winner but I am convinced Scope was capable of placing if different tactics were used. However, it’s on to Sunday we go, check out our Irish Champions Weekend Curragh tips below.
1.45 – Bold Lad Sprint (Premier Handicap)
An ultra competitive heat, as ever, and if you ran this race ten times you would probably have ten different winners. I am going to back two in this for small stakes, one drawn low and one drawn high. The one that interests me from stall 5 at massive odds is Big Gossey. Mick Hussey rides this fella for Charles O’Brien and , although it is a deep race, I can’t understand how he is 40/1. Yes, his last two runs were disappointing but he is better judged on his run in the Scurry off 89 behind Major Power.
He finished 4th in that 6.5f contest, coming under pressure a fair way out but staying on all the way to the line. Interestingly, connections put cheekpieces on him the next twice and on the first occasion, he ran very well off 89 at Naas behind Blairmayne. However, he didn’t go well in them next time at Dundalk and he didn’t appreciate the first time tongue tie last time over today’s C&D. All equipment is discarded today (as it was in the Scurry and for all of his three wins) and with trip and ground to suit, Big Gossey could outrun his odds of 40/1 off 2lbs lower than he was in the Scurry.
Interesting Outsider
The other horse I took out of the Scurry Handicap was Grammata. Trained by Denis Hogan, this 3yo daughter of Twilight Son finished just ahead of Big Gossey. She was ridden quietly by an inexperienced 7lb claimer and she encountered traffic problems on the near side just after the 2f pole when the race was developing. Grammata was stopped in her run, switched and when she got daylight she finished off very nicely to get up for 3rd.
She was also denied a clear run in the Rockingham (5f gd/fm) back in June when she finished in 8th, beat just 4.75L. Her last two runs in Premier Handicaps have been crackers but her last two outings in lesser races at Naas and over C&D have not been inspiring. Three of her four Curragh runs have been good and with Joe Doyle taking over in the plate she could go well from stall 17. If she can avoid those dreaded traffic issues, she may well reward e/w support at 33/1.
Irish Champions Weekend Curragh Tips: Big Gossey e/w @ 40/1; Grammata e/w @ 33/1 (Both 6 Places)
2.20 – Blandford Stakes (Group 2)
We backed Amma Grace in this race last season and she held on for 2nd at 40/1. She went on to make all in a Listed Leopardstown contest on her next start (10f sft) and that was it for the season. This year, her form has been mostly disappointing, bar a decent run behind La Petite Coco in a 12f Group 3 down in Cork. Her comeback run at Gowran was a stinker though and so was her last effort over in York. The strange thing is that bar her comeback at Gowran, she has been held up in her races. Maybe they were riding her to get the trip, but I would expect Keane will be more aggressive on her today.
Blinkers replace the usual visor and she will appreciate the nice ground. This is probably a better race than last year but there hasn’t been much between her and Thundering Nights the last two times they have met and she is 7/2 while Amma Grace is 40/1. Love is the most likely winner while Insinuendo is another one with place claims. She will be suited by a strongly run race on this ground but with Keane riding out of his skin, Amma Grace is preferred each way at odds of 40/1.
Irish Champions Weekend Curragh Tips: Amma Grace e/w @ 40/1
2.55 – Flying Five Stakes (Group 1)
What a treat this race is. Some of the speediest sprinters on both sides of the Irish Sea will battle for Group 1 glory in this 5f contest. It was a smashing day for Ger Lyons and Colin Keane yesterday and now she is back on her favoured good ground, Frenetic could go well for the in form combination in this. This fast filly is a 3yo by Kodiac and Lyons has always spoken highly of her.
Two of her three runs this season were poor, but there was yielding in the ground description on both occasions. She got her ground in a handicap at Cork in July and that resulted in a decisive victory off 102. She beat a horse called White Lavender into 2nd that day, conceding a whopping 22lbs. White Lavender was in off 80 and she is now rated 98 after finishing a neck 2nd in a Listed heat on her next outing. Strong Johnson was 4th (off 88) and he won his next two and is now rated 98.
Although it was only a handicap, it was serious performance in hindsight carrying 10 stone and it maintained Frenetic’s excellent record on good ground or faster. She has form figures of 11811 on such ground, the sole defeat coming when things didn’t go right for her in the Flying Childers at Doncaster. Her Curragh form figures read 121 and she is undefeated here over 5f. The three British raiders at the top of the market set the standard but Frenetic beat Mooniesta by 5L over C&D last season and with ground to suit and in first time blinkers, she is the e/w NAP of the day at 28/1.
Irish Champions Weekend Curragh Tips: Frenetic e/w @ 28/1 NAP (4 Places)
3.30 – Moyglare Stud Stakes (Group 1)
Eight 2yo fillies are due to go to post for this 7f Group 1 and hopefully they all run. Another horse that should appreciate the return to a sounder surface in this race is Concert Hall. By Dubawi, this filly built on the promise of her debut 2nd at Fairyhouse when scoring in a C&D maiden. She had Panama Red 1.5L behind in 4th and that filly gave the form a timely boost when winning a Listed contest at Leopardstown on Saturday.
It was a gutsy performance by Concert Hall as she was headed inside the final furlong but she battled back and won going away in the end. She was stepped into Group 2 company three weeks ago but the ground was soft and she was well beat behind Agartha. Her dam, Was, was ineffective on soft too so I think it is best to put a line through that last run on account of the conditions.
Ryan Moore has abandoned ship and he rides Prettiest and there is no doubt her form is stronger. However, Concert Hall could resume her progress returned to a sounder surface and she wouldn’t be the first O’Brien second string to cause a surprise. Hopefully Seamie Heffernan gets a good tune out of her and at odds of odds of 25/1, Concert Hall is the each way selection.
Irish Champions Weekend Curragh Tips: Concert Hall e/w @ 25/1
4.05 – National Stakes (Group 1)
Just the seven will line up in the stalls for this 7f Group 1. We were on Ebro River here last month when he landed the G1 Phoenix Stakes. The main angle that day was the easy ground but conditions are very different today. Hugo Palmer’s charge has form figures of 111 on yielding or softer. His form on ground with good in the description is 4654. Now, in fairness to him those four runs were pretty decent and he wasn’t beaten far in any of them. However, he is probably 10lbs better on soft so today I’ll be leaving him alone.
To be honest, this looks between the top two in the market. Point Lonsdale is 4/4 and he has won on all sorts of ground. He has progressed through the ranks nicely and he is odds on for a reason. Native Trail has yet to taste defeat after two runs and he landed a Group 2 last time. He’ll need to improve again but he’ll love the ground and his yard is flying.
Duke Se Sessa won impressively over a mile here last time but that was on soft ground. Good or better is an unknown and while he has potential, his prospects depend on how he handles conditions. With just 7 runners this is a race to watch with a view to the future for me. No bet.
Irish Champions Weekend Curragh Tips: No Bet
4.40 – Irish St Leger (Group 1)
We backed Search For A Song in this last season and she did the business in great style. It was her second time to win the Leger and she now bids for the hat-trick. This mare is having just her third start of the year and it looks like this race has been targeted by connections again. She has yet to hit top gear this term but the ground was against her last time out. Conditions will be a lot more to her liking today. Oisin Orr gets a great tune out of her and the hood she wore when winning in 2020 is back on.
Melbourne Cup hero Twilight Payment looks the biggest threat on paper. He won nicely here last time but in the last two Legers he has proved no match for the Weld mare. Of those at bigger odds, last year’s 4th Barbados could go well. He has amazingly won just one race during his career but he has saved some of his best form for this track. Jessie Harrington’s charge finished just 2.5L behind Twilight Payment here in June last year and with plenty of bookies paying 4 places, he is worth a couple of quid each way at 33s. Search For A Song is the most likely winner though and at 9/2, I’ll also be backing her on the nose.
Irish Champions Weekend Curragh Tips: Search For A Song win @ 9/2; Barbados e/w @ 33/1 (4 places)
5.15 – Super Auction Sale Stakes (2yo)
Our miserable run in this season’s Sales Races continued with Spitting Feathers. At least this is a smaller field so hopefully we can find one to give us a run for our money at a price. Of those with official ratings, Delmona is streets ahead with a mark of 99. She has class form but she has only won 1 of her 7 starts. She definitely deserves to be the fav but given her record, I wouldn’t be having the wedge on at even money.
At a monster price, the brilliantly named Hardly Useless could outrun his odds. He has improved with every run and he still looked green at Navan (5.5f gd) last time. Chris Hayes wasn’t overly hard on him and he ran on well in the closing stages for 4th. The runner up in that race, Chestnutter, finished a fine 5th on his previous run in the Ballyhane Stakes (another sales race) and Hardly Useless was just over 3L behind him. Now, Chestnutter probably didn’t run to his best but even so, it is decent form.
The son of New Bay should enjoy the extra distance today. On the evidence of Navan another furlong will suit and his pedigree suggests it will too. He will need to take another step forward today but he gets a nice bit of weight from the more fancied horses and he has improved for every one of his three runs so far. With 4 places on offer from a couple of firms, a small e/w interest is advised at 50/1. Hopefully he can nick some place money.
Irish Champions Weekend Curragh Tips: Hardly Useless e/w @ 50/1 (4 Places)
5.45 – Northfields Handicap (Premier Handicap)
The show closes on Champions Weekend with a 26 runner, 10f handicap. Eagle’s Flight is a horse that could give each way players a run for their money at nice odds. One of three trained by Mick Halford, he is the mount of Niall McCullagh. Ronnie Whelan would have had the pick and he is on Finans Bay. However, I think he would like to see a bit of rain and had he been able to do 8st 7lbs, I think he’d be on Eagle’s Flight. Gary Carroll is on one of the two John Connaughton owned Halford horses. It is only his third ride for Halford in the past five seasons while Niall McCullagh (6/109 for Halford in the same period) is on Eagle’s Flight.
Solid Form
This horse has some solid form on grass this season. His last run over 10f at Leopardstown saw him finish just 2L behind Tauran Shaman (rated 88) and 1.75L behind Mosala (who was running off 80) off a mark of 77. Eagle’s Flight is 6lbs higher now but Mosala is now rated 90 and the winner 97 so it was no surprise that Eagle’s Flight managed to win next time at the same track over a mile off 78 (8f gd). The son of Gleneagles stepped up in class at this track on his next start (8f gd) and he was beat just 3L by Sirjack Thomas off 86.
The way he finished that race off suggested that 10f around here would be right up his alley. He was just 0.5L behind the then 92 rated Bopedro (beat 0.5L off 103 yesterday). Sirjack Thomas won the race off 83 and he then won at Galway off 7lbs higher so it is rock solid handicap form. Eagle’s Flight’s last two runs weren’t quite as good but the step back up to 10f is cause for optimism. He won his maiden over the trip at Dundalk last season and with ground to suit, he is worth chancing e/w at 40/1 for 6 places.
