Just the six for the Tattersalls Gold Cup (2:45) at The Curragh but the reality is that three of the field are making up the numbers chasing the €22k fourth prize. At his best form, which I am going to conclude was his Irish Champion Stakes win last term, Luxembourg probably should go close but he was only fifth on his return in the Moorestyle with Layfayette and Piz Badile in front of him. Excuses were made about him being hampered there but it was not like he was travelling easily so he will need to come on substantially today. Bay Bridge and Vadeni reappeared in the Prix Ganay but neither of them won it with Sir Michael Stoute’s five year old third ahead of Jean Claude Rouget’s Arc runner-up. The balance of Bay Bridge’s form suggests that he likes easy ground, including his Champion Stakes win, and he was behind Vadeni in the Eclipse on quick ground. So the bookies take my view that the most likely to come out on top today is last year’s Prix Du Jockey Club winner; however, just how this race will be run is the question mark that makes me steer clear as Luxembourg is the only value angle.
Of the ten in the Irish 1000 Guineas (3:50), I think it is fair to say that six of them are making up the numbers. It would be quite a surprise if the two second strings, Jackie Oh and Tarawa, were to win so the form clearly points to the match between Newmarket runner-up Tahiyra and the well beaten Meditate. When they met in the Moyglare at this track as two year olds, the Aga Khan’s filly dispatched the Ballydoyle filly with the minimum of fuss, so I expect her to land the odds, complete the hat-trick over her rival and give Dermot Weld back-to-back race victories.
That reduces betting options to the Lanwades Stud Stakes (3:15) at The Curragh as Nashwa will be odds on for her return in the Prix Corrida at Saint Cloud as she is not penalised and finished ahead of Above The Curve on both their meetings last season.
Joseph O’Brien has three of the eight runners and Ryan Moore is aboard Jumbly, who was clearly well regarded when trained by Roger Charlton last term as she ran in the Pouliches (not beaten far in eighth as it was a blanket finish) but only ran once subsequently winning a Group 3 on the nod at Ascot. The recent form pick of the O’Brien contenders is Honey Girl, course winner of a maiden and then a Group 3 (Just Beautiful and Star Girls Aalmal well behind). The third O’Brien runner Goldana makes her second start for the yard having collected the Group 3 Gladness Stakes on heavy ground here on her yard debut. It is hard to make a case for Spring Feeling, who won a Tipperary maiden at this distance and finished ahead of Honey Girl last year in a Group 3; however, a line through the winner that day – beaten by Honey Girl last time – suggests she will struggle today. Redressed was last over ten furlongs most recently and drops back to a mile here, but she was beaten over this course and distance the time before in a Group 3 by INSINUENDO. Willie McCreery’s mare was only fourth in the Moorebridge most recently and her best piece of form was third in the Fillies and Mares on Champions’ Day, both races over further. So really here I am taking a chance that she is the class act in the field and can collect her second course Group 2 win albeit not at her optimum trip.
