Sunday Curragh Racing Tips and Preview By Dave Stevos
Sunday Curragh Racing Tips and Preview
Our search for a winner went on at Newmarket, Newcastle and the Curragh on Saturday. However, nearly all of our selections ran nice races, apart from Rochester House. Uncle Jumbo (22/1), Island Brave (NAP 20/1) and Lone Eagle (8/1 NB) all nicked place money. Fabiosa and Apollo One also ran well and weren’t far off hitting the frame. The Group 1 Pretty Polly is the big race of the day tomorrow, check out Dave Stevos’ Sunday Curragh racing tips below.
2.30 – Sherry Fitzgerald Handicap (0-95)
We start off with an extremely tricky 6f handicap and 19 will go to post. I can’t preview the race without mentioning Geological. This horse is an absolute warrior and he showed signs of returning to form under more patient tactics at Down Royal last time out. He finished with a wet sail to nick 4th. I think that if the race was 50 yards longer, he would have won. The step up to 6f ought to suit here but he has yet to run well on eight previous visits to the Curragh. However, It wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest if he did run a big race under these new hold up tactics off a very tempting mark with ground to suit.
Go With Goodnight
The one I am going to side with is Goodnight Girl. Trained by in-form Sarah Lynam, this daughter of Clodovil should strip much fitter after her seasonal bow at Cork. She hasn’t won for Lynam since moving from the UK. However, she has only got her ground a on a couple of occasions. Her two best runs came at Cork last term and it was good ground for both of them. She was beat just 1.75L off 87 over 5f by Ardhoomey in August. She was then beat a neck by A Step Too Far off 83 over 6f there.
This mare is now down to a mark of 79. That’s 8lb lower than when 4th behind Ardhoomey and 4lb lower than when a neck behind A Step Too Far. More importantly, she is back on good to firm ground for the first time since moving to Ireland. All three of her UK wins came over 6f on good to firm and the last one was a handicap off 79 (won by 6L). Lynam has a real knack with these sprint handicappers and at odds of 20/1, Goodnight Girl is the e/w pick.
Sunday Curragh Racing Tips: Goodnight Girl e/w @ 20/1 NAP (5 places)
3.05 – Rockingham Handicap (Premier)
The Rockingham Handicap is run over a trip of 5f and 17 horses are due to go to post. Natalia Lupini has had plenty of success at the Curragh with Blairmayne and he runs in the 2.30. She also runs Arnhem in this race and even though he is 5lbs wrong at the weights, I think he could surprise with a big run off a feather weight. He is rated 75 and he runs off 80 here. But, at least most of that is negated by Andy Slattery’s 3lb claim.
This 5yo son of Dandy Man is a consistent sort. He ran well in three maidens at Dundalk (x2) and at Naas over 7f and 6f. He then ran poorly in a couple of handicaps on good to yielding ground before returning to Dundalk and getting off the mark on his final run of the season off 71 (6f). The ground was too soft for him on his return to action at Naas. However, it was much more like it at Down Royal the last twice on good ground at 5f.
He was beat 0.5L by Chocquinto on the first occasion off 74 with Paddy Hartnett claiming 4lb (carried 8lb more than the winner). He renewed rivalries with that rival off 5lb worse terms so it was arguably an even better run to go down by 1L to Chocquinto giving her 13lbs. Those two runs confirmed that this gelding wants fast ground. He should also be well suited by a strongly run race over 5f at the Curragh. At odds of 40/1, a small each way interest on Arnhem is advised.
Sunday Curragh Racing Tips: Arnhem e/w @ 40/1 (5 places)
3.40 – Pretty Polly Stakes (Group 1)
Willie McCreery runs two fillies in this year’s Pretty Polly and on the figures, Epona Plays is his number one chance of glory. However, the daughter of Australia is no banker to stay 10f on pedigree. I think her stablemate Insinuendo could run big here at more generous odds. She is by Gleneagles and unlike Epona Plays, her stamina is not in doubt. Both of her starts at around 10f have resulted in victory. Her sole defeat came on her second start over 7f at Tipperary.
She stepped back up in distance at Naas last time and on her first run at pattern level, she won the Group 3 Blue Wind (10f yld). The form of that race has been well advertised by the runner up Thunder Kiss (won a G3 next time out) and the 3rd home Willow (won a Listed race since). Thunder Kiss went close behind Cadillac (rated 114) here yesterday too. So, although Insinuendo is only rated 104, that Naas form suggests she has the potential to rate a lot higher.
The good ground today isn’t a worry as she won her maiden on that ground at Gowran on debut. She is having just her 4th start and she is bred to be a decent animal. Her dam was a G3 winner over 9f and she is from the same family as a couple of Arc winners. McCreery has kept her fresh for this, trip and ground look ideal and Declan McDonagh won on her last time out. At odds of 16/1, Insinuendo is worth backing each way.
Sunday Curragh Racing Tips: Insinuendo e/w @ 16/1
4.10 – Curragh Cup (Group 2)
The Curragh Cup is a 14f contest and just the eight are due to go to post. The race sponsor’s son runs three horses and I think Questionare represents his best chance of glory. By Galileo, this 5yo is only rated 102 but he shaped very nicely last time over 12f at Limerick on good ground. He was just 2L behind the winner Sonnyboyliston (rated 109) at the finish and only half a length behind Sunchart, who reopposes today.
If that Limerick race was a furlong further then I have no doubts that Questionare would have beaten Sunchart and possibly the winner too. It was his best run for Comer since leaving John Gosden’s. Off the same terms, I think he can beat Sunchart over this longer trip.
Passion, Pondus and Amhran Na Bhfiann spearhead the market for the O’Briens and it wouldn’t be the biggest surprise if they filled the first three places. The bookies haven’t missed those three though and they aren’t all guaranteed to run to form. The bookmakers haven’t missed Sunchart either. He is priced up at 11/2 whereas Questionare is as big as 25s. That looks all wrong to me on their Limerick meeting and at the prices, the Comer horse is well worth chancing each way.
