Key Points
- Three betting tips for the Group races at the Curragh
- My NAP selection runs in the highlight race of the day
- I am taking on the favourite in the Stayers’ race to finish off the day
The Curragh is the place to be this Saturday
We are off to the Curragh for Saturday’s racing, where we’re in for a real treat, with three Group races to get stuck into. The fun starts with the Group 2 Sapphire Stakes and there is a filly in this race that really takes my fancy. She has improved run for run, and the drop back to five furlongs should see her continue to progress.
Next up, we have the highlight race of the day, the Group 1 Irish Oaks which is where you’ll find my NAP selection. I won’t give too much away right now, but I think the filly I have chosen could just be a class above her rivals, and will take a lot of beating.
We finish off with one for the Stayers’, the Group 2 Curragh Cup, where I’ll be taking on the favourite. But whatever happens on Saturday, we have a cracking day of racing at the Curragh to look forward to and this is a meeting that never disappoints.
10bet is my bookie pick for Saturday
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15:05 - The Sapphire Stakes (Group 2) 5f - Believing
We start off with the Group 2 Sapphire Stakes over five furlongs and this is a tricky race to dissect. Beautiful Diamond is a lovely filly for the Karl Burke team and she holds decent credentials, but coming up against the boys is going to be no easy task, even with her fillies’ weight allowance. She ran really well last time to finish in a dead heat with Azure Blue at Ayr, but she was caught on the line and would need to improve on that if she is to win this race. Valiant Force has been a little hit and miss this season, but if he bounced back to his best form he would have as good a chance as any other contestant in this race. Makarova for Ed Walker is in great form this season and a repeat effort of her win in the Group 3 Coral Challenge could also see her get competitive.
The one I am siding with here though is George Boughey’s
Believing, who is a fast improving filly, and the drop back in trip here looks likely to suit her. Three starts back she absolutely hosed up in a Listed race at Haydock, before finishing a close fourth in the Group 1 King Charles Stakes, so a repeat effort of either run would make her seriously tough to beat here. Last time out at Ascot she finished a close fourth in the Group 1 Jubilee Stakes over six furlongs, but that may have been a furlong too far for her and the drop back to five will see her very tough to beat.
She is a very smart filly who probably hasn’t finished improving yet
and she has a big chance here.
15:40 - The Irish Oaks (Group 1) 1m 4f - Content (NAP)
The Irish Oaks is a fascinating contest here and we have 14 runners declared for this year’s renewal. Willie Mullins has an intriguing runner in the line up here with Lope De Lilas who won easily at Leopardstown over 2 furlongs shorter but she is sure to say the trip. Despite winning that race easily though she will have to show more improvement once again to get competitive here with a few classy fillies ahead of her in the market. An intriguing each way contender nonetheless. Hanalia is an interesting runner for Johnny Murtagh and despite probably not being good enough just yet, she is one that should take another step forward and may not be far off the place money here.
For me though this is likely to be between the Ballydoyle pair Port Fairy and
Content
but it is probably significant that Ryan Moore has chosen to ride Content. Port Fairy is a nice filly in her own right but the form of her win in the Ribblesdale hasn’t worked out great and probably means she requires a little more to win this. So, by a process of elimination, the likely winner here is Content. She finished third in the Pretty Polly, just over 3 lengths back off Bluestocking and Emily Upjohn, which is pretty strong form in comparison to the rest of this lineup, so
it’s unlikely that she would need to improve much at all to win this. Content already has a win to her name here at the Curragh and she makes plenty of appeal with Ryan Moore in the saddle.
16:15 The Curragh Cup (Group 2) 1m 6f - Vauban
The Curragh Cup is always a fantastic race to watch and we have some really intriguing runners this year. Grosvenor Square has been a little disappointing this season, although stepping up in trip could bring out more improvement in him. But it will need to, despite having a three-year-old allowance, he has a lot on his plate here. The Aga Khan-owned Shamida is an interesting contender and showed plenty as a three-year-old. She is a course and distance winner who won three on the bounce before ending her season with an unfortunate seventh in a Group 1 at Longchamp, where she was badly hampered. I expect that this filly is going to turn into a very classy horse one day.
Tower Of London is also a class individual, but I was slightly disappointed with his effort at York last time out and he needs to do better this time. That is more than possible, but I’m still going to take him on here. Perhaps this is a good chance for
Vauban
to get back to winning ways. He found the two mile trip a bit too much to handle with Kyprios in the field last time out but the two furlong drop should suit his running style much better. If Colin Keane can just hold on to him for a little longer this time,
I think he will prove fully effective over this trip and now might be just the right time to catch him. I’m going to side with the talented Vauban, who has conditions to suit and looks all set for a big run this time round.
Betting tips for the Curragh on Saturday 👇
- 15:05 - Believing
- 15:40 - Content
- 16:15 - Vauban
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