Race 1
The eyes of the racing world will be firmly focused on the Curragh this Sunday and what a race the opener is! The Bold Lad, a 6f Premier Handicap worth a cool 150k gets the action underway and with 27 horses going to post, the winner will need lady luck to shine on them. I will be cheering on Mokhalad of course, but he looks to have his work cut out from out of the handicap. Hopefully Rory Cleary can work his magic and if he finished in the first half of the field it would be unbelievable. Fingers crossed he runs well and comes home safe.
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| Dark Shot has a big pot in him and he looks overpriced. |
The one I like here for each way purposes is Dark Shot for Scott Dixon and Kieran O’Neill. This likeable but frustrating son of Acclamation has run some absolute crackers in defeat this season. He wasn’t beaten far in the consolation race for the Steward’s Cup at Goodwood off 88 and he was poorly drawn on ground plenty quick enough for him on his last visit to the Curragh. He has a much better draw for this, he will love the ground and at 20/1 I think he could surprise with a big run.
STEVOS’ SELECTION: DARK SHOT E/W @ 20/1 NB
Race 2
The Group 2 Blandford Stakes for 3yo+ fillies and mares is the second race of the day at The Curragh and it is no surprise that Eziyra is odds on for this 10f contest. She finished a gallant 3rd behind Arc fancy Sea Of Class in a bid for the four timer at York after a hat trick of Group 3 wins. She is the highest rated, she has the form in the book and she is definitely the one they all have to beat.
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| Rionach is a well bred filly with a future. |
However, she is dropping back in trip which is a slight worry and I am taking a chance on a filly who is moving in the opposite direction. Rionach, a beautifully bred 3yo filly by Sea The Stars is only rated 95, but she ran a lovely race on her first try in Listed company last time at Killarney (8f gd) and she shaped as though she would benefit for a step up in trip. Her pedigree suggests that further will suit too, and at odds of 28/1 she looks worth a small interest each way for in form trainer Michael O’Callaghan.
STEVOS’ SELECTION: RIONACH E/W @ 28/1
Race 3
The Flying Five Stakes is probably one of the weaker Group 1s that will be run on Champions Weekend. On official ratings there should be nothing between the top four in the market, but on good to yielding ground that is likely to dry out given the weather forecast I think Hit The Bid is the one to be on after a cracking effort behind Blue Uluru when giving that horse 7lb.
He has no such concessions to make on Sunday and the apple of Darren Bunyan’s eye has some strong course form in the book. He was a fine winner of a Group 3 here as a 2yo in 2016 and he wasn’t beaten far in a Group 2 behind Caspian Prince last July. Leigh Roche gets on very well with this striking son of Exceed And Excel, and at odds of 5/1 he looks the value in this trappy Group 1.
STEVOS’ SELECTION: HIT THE BID WIN @ 5/1
Race 4
The Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes is a 7f Group 1 race for 2yo fillies and a total of ten will go to post. I have been extremely impressed by Skitter Scatter on her last two starts, and with the weather in her favour I think she is the one to beat here. The daughter of Scat Daddy has been a model of consistency in six runs so far this season, and she took the step up into Group 2 company in her stride last time over this course and distance.
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| Skitter Scatter has been a superstar for connections this season. |
She travelled ever so well for Ronan Whelan in the Debutante Stakes 3 weeks ago, and when Whelan pressed the button she put the race to bed immediately. This filly has a lovely pedigree, out of a half sister to Dewhurst winner Intense Focus. I think Skitter Scatter looks overpriced at 5/1 with drying conditions firmly in her favour and she is my NAP of the day.
STEVOS’ SELECTION: SKITTER SCATTER WIN @ 5/1 NAP
Race 5
The National Stakes, yet another Group 1, is run over 7f and seven horses will go to post. If there was eight runners I would probably chance Land Force each way, but this essentially looks to be a match between the two market leaders and I won’t be having a bet on this one.
STEVOS’ SELECTION: NO BET.
Race 6
The Irish St Leger has yet again attracted a small field, and with the substantial prize money on offer it baffles me that more trainers don’t target the minor placings. The O’Briens supply four of the six runners, Joseph with one and Aidan with three. This race doesn’t appeal to me as a betting proposition so I will be leaving it alone. No bet.
STEVOS’ SELECTION: NO BET
Race 7
This sales race for 2yos has not been kind to favourite backers with three of the last four winners returning at odds of 12/1 or bigger. An each way interest on one at juicy odds is the way forward in races of this nature and the one that stands out to me at a big price is Dadoozdart for Noel Meade and Billy Lee. He has to prove he handles good ground, but given that he is by Dawn Approach I think there is every chance he will go on it.
This son of Dawn Approach was an impressive winner on debut back in April at Navan on bad ground and he made a pleasing return to action last time at Roscommon on soft over 7.5f. He was entitled to need that run, and if he can get back to the form of his Navan victory when he had subsequent Group 2 winner Land Force well behind he is capable of outrunning his very generous odds of 33/1.
STEVOS’ SELECTION: DADOOZDART E/W @ 33/1
Race 8
Another big field of nineteen will contest this 10f Premier Handicap and at massive odds I think Donagh O’Connor’s 5lb claim could be a big help to Ger Lyons’ likeable 8yo son of Kheleyf, Tennessee Wildcat. This gelding ran a couple of really nice races in handicaps recently at Leopardstown (off 98) when beaten 3.5L and then at Dundalk off 2lb lower when 3rd beaten less than 2L.
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| Donagh O'Connor could be a shrewd booking for Tennessee Wildcat. |
He won a 9f conditions contest last time at Tipperary by a head and thankfully the handicapper has left his mark alone. With Donagh O’Connor taking off 5lb he is effectively off a mark of 91 on Sunday and O’Connor is worth every ounce of his claim. The last time he raced off 90 in a handicap at Dundalk he won, and off just a pound higher now and with underfoot conditions ideal he could go well at 33/1 for each way players.
STEVOS’ SELECTION: TENNESSEE WILDCAT E/W @ 33/1
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