Saturday Horse Racing Tips Curragh and Newbury
Saturday Horse Racing Tips From Newbury and The Curragh
It was a mixed bag for us on Friday night at the Curragh. Never Back Down quickly backed out and didn’t build on his last run. Bright Idea drifted to 18/1 but ran a fine race to grab 2nd in a race where the winner got first run. Fiscal Rules was far from disgraced and suffered interference at a crucial time. He is a horse with a big future. Allegio was backed before the off but ran a stinker. Leo De Major saved the day with a commanding win, advised e/w at 10/1. The top class action continues on Saturday with the Irish 1000 Guineas the highlight. Check out Dave Stevos’ Saturday horse racing tips below…
Saturday Horse Racing Tips: 2.25pm Newbury – Maggie Dickson Stakes (Listed)
The first race we look at on Saturday is this Listed Fillies’ contest. Run over a 7f trip the bookies are finding it hard to split the top three in the betting. I like one at a bigger price each way and Lyzbeth has the form in the book to make her presence felt here. Trained by Martyn Meade this daughter of Zoffany won on her seasonal return last year at Doncaster (7f gd/fm).
She was immediately stepped up in class after that win and she was far from disgraced when beat 4L by Billesdon Brook in a Goodwood G3 (7f gd). She was beat the same distance on her next outing off 96 in a hot York handicap. Her final run of last year in a Listed race was poor but the ground was soft. Tomorrow’s ground should suit much better and she won first time up last season. Richard Kingscote is 2/5 for Meade with 2 top 4 finishes and at odds of 16/1 Lyzbeth can hopefully enhance that excellent frame hitting strike rate today.
SATURDAY HORSE RACING TIPS: LYZBETH E/W @ 16/1 (4 PLACES)
Saturday Preview: 3.00pm Newbury – Abingdon Stakes (Listed)
Another listed contest here, this time over 10f for 3yos only. The bookmakers again have three ahead of the rest and all of them are unexposed fillies. However, none of them have good ground form in the book and that has to be a worry. Cabaletta won her only start on heavy, while Franconia and Oriental Mystique’s best form came on the all weather. That is a theme that is repeated throughout the field but one horse that at least has one decent run on a sound surface is Onassis.
This filly is admittedly more exposed than most of these but she is progressing. She broke her maiden in a handicap at Newcastle back in October. Onassis also ran well enough when 5th in a fillies’ handicap at Newmarket on good ground. She is beautifully bred, by top class stallion Dubawi and a half sister to the ill fated G1 winner Line Of Duty. Both of her other half brothers won at 10f so this step up in trip could suit her. Connections will be very eager to get black type for this filly and if Hayley Turner rides her to place she could nick some. At odds of 40/1 a small each way interest is advised.
SATURDAY HORSE RACING TIPS: ONASSIS E/W @ 40/1
Saturday Horse Racing Tips: 3.35pm Newbury – Diomed Stakes (Group 3)
The Group 3 Diomed Stakes is the big race of the day at Newbury. King Of Comedy is the favouriet and he brings strong Group 1 form into this 8f contest. He finished runner up to both Benbatl (G2) and Circus Maximus (G1), while he was only 2L behind Japan over 10f at York. He holds Zaaki on that run behind Benbatl and if he is fully revved up for his return to action he could take some stopping.
It should be good safe ground at Newbury today and if Century Dream takes his chance he could go well. I fancied this horse to run a big race at Newmarket last time. However, he was pulled on account of the rattling quick ground. With no firm in the description at Newbury he will hopefully take his chance and he has G3 winning form on good.
The Crisfords have had just 1 winner in the past fortnight but they also had 6 2nds and 6 3rds (28 runners). The booking of James Doyle is a big plus too. A previous course winner over 10f, Century Dream could run a big race here at 11/1. Any rain would further enhance his chances.
SATURDAY HORSE RACING TIPS: CENTURY DREAM E/W @ 11/1 nap
Saturday Racing Preview: 6.15pm Curragh – Ragusa Handicap (Premier)
A maximum field of 18 go to post for this 12f Premier Handicap and it is wide open. I like one at a huge price here and Edification is capable of producing a big run. Mark Fahey’s 7yo son of Dream Ahead ran some blinding races last season. His mark rose from 70 to 86 and he ran some massive races in defeat. He returns to action off 86 and the talented Gavin Ryan takes off 5lb.
That means he is effectively racing off 1lb lower than when a very unlucky 4th in a Premier Handicap at Leopardstown last September (13f gd). This horse will need them to go quickly up front and Ryan will try to deliver him late. Edification was doing his best work at the finish on his last start at the Curragh over a mile (gd/fm) when 2L behind Latchet. Mark Fahey has yet to have a runner so hopefully he has them in good form. If Edification is fit and ready to go he could run a huge race at 25/1.
SATURDAY HORSE RACING TIPS: EDIFICATION E/W @ 25/1 nb (5 PLACES)
Saturday Horse Racing Tips: 6.45pm Curragh – Gladness Stakes (Group 3)
A disappointing field of just 7 go to post for the first Group race of the day at the Curragh. Lancaster House and Speak In Colours dominate the market and they possess the best form. However, the former’s best form is at 9f while the latter has done all his winning over 6f. Given the overall form of Jim Bolger’s horses, Smash Williams could be worth chancing here.
He is a horse I have a real affinity for and on his day he is very classy. He raced at mostly 5/6f last year but one of his best efforts came over 7f at Naas behind Imaging. Jim Bolger’s son of Fracas had Romanised behind that day and he went on to much bigger things afterwards. A dual course winner who handles most types of ground, at odds of 8/1 Smash Williams could run well. A small win bet is advised with just 2 places on offer e/w.
SATURDAY HORSE RACING TIPS: SMASH WILLIAMS WIN @ 8/1
Saturday Racing Preview: 7.15pm Curragh – Irish 1000 Guineas (Group 1)
A field of 15 of the best 3yo fillies in Ireland will go to post for the 1000 Guineas. This is a mouthwatering race that revolves around Albigna. This classy filly scored in a Group 1 in France last season and was far from disgraced in the Breeders’ Cup. Dusty Foley and Harrington are in sparkling form and they did us a big favour on Friday with Leo De Major. The O’Brien clan run five fillies between them and bar Brook On Fifth you couldn’t fully discount any of them. I am a big fan of Deep Impact and it would be no surprise were his daughter Fancy Blue to go close for Donnacha.
However, I don’t think Coolmore will mind too much if Albigna wins. They stand her sire Zoffany and his stud fees will take a hefty rise if he lands his first classic as a stallion. Those looking for an each way bet at decent odds could do worse than chance Ridenza. This Sea The Stars filly scored on her first and only start last season at Leopardstown. It was a very impressive performance and Whelan just pushed her out, never using the whip.
That race has produced a couple of winners and Peaceful, who is 10/3 here, was nearly 4L behind Ridenza in 9th. Ridenza should progress as a 3yo given her sire and her Rock Of Gibraltar dam won a G2 here over 7f. Albigna is by far the most likely winner here and it is hard to see how she can get beat. However, Ridenza is a filly with considerable potential and at odds of 16/1 she could run a huge race.
