A Couple From The Curragh

Gleneagles managed to win yesterday in the big race of the day, but it wasn't easy and he showed great toughness and bravery as well as a nice turn of foot to hold off the late surge from Endless Drama. My selection Tombelaine travelled well, but was tapped for toe at the business end and could only manage 5th. Yesterday's other selection, Jack Dexter, was extremely unlucky in the Temple Stakes with a fast finishing 2nd after having a troubled passage throughout the race. There will be some nice races for him later in the season once he gets his preferred ground conditions and it looks like Mr. Goldie has found a worthy successor to his other star sprinter Hawkeyethenoo. 

The best of today's action comes from the Curragh, with the 1000 Guineas the main event. With 18 runners going to post, and no odds on shot in the field, it is a very open race. There are a number of extremely well bred fillies in there, as one would expect, but the pedigree that really catches the eye has to be Kissed By Angels for Ballydoyle, who is a daughter of Galileo out of the stables superb Coronation Cup winner Lillie Langtry. This filly made an encouraging debut under hands and heels on quick ground at Limerick, before stepping up on that in a big way when taking the Guineas Trial at Leopardstown in taking fashion, travelling well and quickening away nicely. That was on heavy ground admittedly, but her pedigree suggests that today's underfoot conditions will suit her even better. Joseph takes the ride today, with Found looking like connection's number one and being ridden by Ryan Moore. Found is already proven at Group 1 level. so it is not surprising that Moore is on board, but Kissed By Angels could easily improve again returned to quicker ground, and is worth considering at odds of 7/1. 

The other horse that catches my eye in the race is Jim Bolger's Pleascach who absolutely hacked up in the group 3 Blue Wind stakes at Naas last time out. That was over 10f, and there are worries that the drop back to a mile might not suit. I can remember the same being said about David Wachman's Legatissimo before the English equivalent, and look how that turned out! She is a daughter of the outstanding sire Teofilo and is out of a Bolger trained mare who ran her best race in the Derrinstown Guineas Trial over a mile on good ground. Bolger also saddles another two in the race, presumably to ensure it is run at a true pace, and if that is the case it should set things up nicely for Pleascach whose stamina is assured.  Jim Bolger hasn't tasted success in this race since Finsceal Beo won in 2007, but this filly could bring the winless run to an end today, and at odds of 9/1 is worthy of consideration. 

Selections: Kissed By Angels (7/1) Pleascach (9/1)