Racing
Curragh betting preview: Sinawann looking promising for Irish 2000 Guineas
Alex Davies delivers an insightful preview of this afternoon’s £5,000 Place 6 at Curragh. Read on for his Curragh betting preview, including a look at the Irish 2000 Guineas.
Curragh Betting Preview
16:05 – Maiden
The opening contest on Irish 2000 Guineas night, with twelve newcomers in the field. Based on jockey bookings, MERCHANT’S QUAY looks the pick of the Ballydoyle trio with Seamie Heffernan on board. There is a great deal of speed in his pedigree and he should be able to make his presence known on debut.
Jessica Harrington has started the season in excellent form and will be hoping to add to that this weekend with Albigna in the 1000 Guineas on Saturday. The yard had a 2yo winner on Monday with Lucky Vega and could strike here with COOPER’S HAWK.
IRISH CHIEF is another for Aidan O’Brien with a beautiful pedigree. A War Front colt out of Wedding Vow, he is another who will benefit from the experience but should run well enough on debut. War Front also sired More Beautiful, who was an impressive winner on debut for the yard at Naas on Monday.
Selections: MERCHANT’S QUAY, COOPER’S HAWK, IRISH CHIEF
16:40 – Maiden
LOUGH CUTRA should be able to make his experience count in the second maiden on the card. The form of his two runs have worked out well, with his debut second behind Ten Year Ticket being franked when Jim Bolger’s horse won a listed race at Leopardstown on Tuesday. Aidan O’Brien’s Tiger Moth was third that day, and he in turn won a maiden on Tuesday.
He’s also had one run as a 3yo, finishing second behind Russian Emperor who was just touched off in the Derrinstown Derby Trial on Tuesday.
CABOT HILLS seventh in his maiden at the Curragh last August may look disappointing on first glance, but that may turn out to be a maiden of high standard.
The winner, Sinawaan, runs in the 2000 Guineas later on the card and looks to hold a strong chance. Agitaire was back in second and finished only three lengths behind Cormorant in the Derrinstown on Tuesday. Gold Maze was in fifth and also runs in the Gallinule Stakes later on the card, so it appears a race packed with potential.
Donnacha O’Brien takes over training responsibility of Cabot Hills from his father Aidan and he is another that should continue to improve as a 3yo.
Selections: LOUGH CUTRA, CABOT HILLS
17:10 – Handicap
ICE COLD IN ALEX wasn’t out of the places in any of his five runs last season, but he also didn’t manage to get his head home in front. He does have a habit of always finding at least one too good, but if he continues to run with the same consistency, he is surely going to get into the winner’s enclosure off a mark of 85.
NORDIC PASSSAGE was an impressive winner on Tuesday, but the handicapper hasn’t missed that and has raised him 12lb for the decisive victory, so can be passed over on a quick reappearance.
VERYHOYEN is a horse in a similar ilk as Ice Cold in Alex. Admirably consistent, he was a winner of the Scurry Handicap at the Curragh last July, with Ice Cold in Alex back in third. The pair were split by Buffer Zone who ran in a Listed race at Naas on Monday and despite being 11lb higher, Verhoyen should make the frame once again.
GEOLOGICAL always warrants a mention. An admirable type who was far from disgraced in Meydan during the winter and could have a part to play off a mark of 93.
Selections: ICE COLD IN ALEX, VERHOYEN
17:40 – Handicap
There should be more to come from LEADERSHIP RACE, who comes here off the back of successive victories at Dundalk. He still has 6lb to find with United Front on official ratings, but he appears to be a horse on the up and can strike for the Colin Keane/Ger Lyons partnership ahead of their partnership with Siskin in the 2000 Guineas.
With only three career starts to date, there should be more to come from LAYFAYETTE. He won his maiden on good to firm ground at Navan last September and should have similar conditions here. He was only beaten short head over the 7f trip in October, where he was unlucky to be collared by Lustown Baba. A repeat performance here should see him go close.
Selections; LEADERSHIP RACE, LAYFAYETTE
18:10 – Gallinule Stakes
MYTHICAL heads the market for this race and looks the class act in a weak looking field. He was held in such regard that he was sent off favourite for the Zetland Stakes at Newmarket last October, for all that he was disappointing on the day.
There were more encouraging signs on his final start as a 2yo, finishing third behind Mkfancy and stablemate Arthur’s Kingdom, who is being touted as one of Aidan O’Brien’s Epsom Derby horses, in a Group 3 at Saint Cloud. The Summit finished in midfield that day and has subsequently won the Prix Fontainebleu and finished an admirable second in the French 2000 Guineas earlier this month.
If he runs up to a similar standard here, he should take this Group 3.
Selections: MYTHICAL
18:40 – Irish 2000 Guineas
Hot on the heels of last week’s Newmarket Classics come the Irish equivalent this weekend, with the 2000 Guineas featuring unbeaten juvenile SISKIN. He looked imperious over 6f last season, winning both the Railway Stakes and the Phoenix Stakes from Monarch of Egypt, who reopposes here.
I am a huge fan of Siskin, who alongside Pinatubo was arguably the most exciting horse of last season. However, I am not thoroughly convinced a mile will be his trip. He possesses a great deal of raw speed and I can see him being stepped back in trip after Friday.
With this in mind, the one I am most keen on is SINAWANN. Trained by Mick Halford, he rounded off last year with a highly promising second to Mogul in the Champions Juvenile Stakes at Leopardstown on Irish Champions Weekend. He is sure to get the trip, and with no Mogul this time round, he could fend off the O’Brien battalion and give the Aga Khan their first Classic success since Harzand in the Irish Derby in 2016.
Speaking of the O’Brien battalion, Aidan saddles six of the eleven runners, and MONARCH OF EGYPT may show up best of them. He was kept in high company last season, featuring in the Middle Park and Dewhurst amongst other Group races, and may be a horse who will appreciate the step up in trip here. He is the joint highest rated of the O’Brien runners alongside Royal Lytham and may find the mile trip to his liking.
Selections: SINAWAAN, MONARCH OF EGYPT
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