Irish Champions Day Two Preview 2021

The first event of the day at The Curragh is the six furlong Sprint Handicap and Hightimeyouwon for Dermot Weld looks one of the more likely winners of the race.

Having been finding his feet at first this term, in May he put up his best performance to date when landing a seven furlong Premier Handicap at Cork.

Going up 3lb for that win he headed to the Curragh over 7f and was a close up fourth in a big fielded handicap and then last time out backed that up over 6.5f at the track when a head second in the Scurry Handicap.

He is 4lb higher for this event, but he has his perfect trip, conditions and loves getting in amongst a big field so should go close.

Ryan Moore in the saddle is a nice booking.

The first big race of the day is the Group Two Blandford Stakes over 1m2f and we can't look past the favourite Love who drops down in grade and could dominate.

Love was always destined to be a smart horse and at juvenile level proved that when finishing third on her final two year old start in the Group One bet365 Fillies Mile, but this season she has transformed into a world beater.

She made her seasonal debut in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket and beat a superb field of runners by over four lengths to solidify her credentials for the season.

From there O'Brien decided to step her up in trip for the Epsom Oaks and she revelled in the extra distance, beating a sound field by a devastating nine lengths.

The Yorkshire Oaks was another test for the three year old and again she passed with flying colours, not seeing a rival all the way round and going clear towards the end of the race.

All of these runs were in preparation for the Arc at ParisLongchamp but with the rain falling making the conditions extremely testing, she was withdrawn from the race.

There was rumours that the filly would head to the Breeders Cup meeting, but connections decided to pull up stumps for the season and bring her back this term.

After numerous withdrawals because of ground turning soft, she finally got her starting point at Royal Ascot in the Group One Prince Of Wales's Stakes where she managed to see off a superb field.

She was then next seen in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot being fairly beaten by Adayar and Mishriff and last time out had to settle for third again behind Mishriff in the Juddmonte International.

She is a multiple Group One winning filly that should be too good for this field if on her A game.

The Group One Flying Five Stakes over five furlongs looks like an English domination job, with the top of the market flooded with UK sprinters.

With that in mind we have sided with the Tim Easterby trained Winter Power who holds the best form in the race and now just needs to prove she can do the business away from York.

Winter Power has been a superstar for the yard over the last few seasons, really coming to life at the back end of last term when landing a quick-fire double at Ayr on Newmarket.

She picked up from where she left off this term on her seasonal debut when bolting up in the Listed Westow Stakes over 5f at York.

Thrown straight into the deep end next time out she was did too much early on in the Group One King's Stands Stakes and ultimately faded late on.

Looking to bounce back to form she headed back to York over the Nunthorpe course and distance in the Listed City Walls takes and again gave a dominant performance to win well.

Five furlongs at York seems to be her playground and she proved that when giving the performance of her life to land the Group One feature at the Ebor meeting.

If running to the same ability she is the one to beat.

Another nice event on the card is the Group One Moyglare Stud Stakes over seven furlongs and the horse we are taking a chance on is the once raced Homeless Songs.

The two year old filly has been seen just once to date when winning a Maiden event over seven furlongs at Leopardstown in very cosy fashion.

Being sent straight into a Group One race should show how much the yard think of this Frankel filly who holds unreal amounts of potential.

The big race of the afternoon is the Group one Vincent O'Brien National Stakes over seven furlongs and the horse we are siding with is the Aidan O'Brien trained Point Lonsdale.

The two year old son of Australia made his debut over seven furlongs at The Curragh and was an emphatic winner of the event, scoring by close to six lengths.

He was then sent to Royal Ascot to follow in the footsteps of some great horses to land the Listed Chesham Stakes and he did just that in gritty style.

Stepping up to Group Three company at Leopardstown he made it a hat-trick of wins when seeing off the smart Maritime Wings by three lengths.

Having been placed excellently by O'Brien he was last seen winning for the fourth straight time in the Group Two Futurity Stakes over course and distance at the Curragh and it looks like it will take something out of this world to beat him.

The final Group One race of the day is the Irish St Leger over 1m6f and we are taking a punt on the Joseph O'Brien trained Baron Samedi.

The globetrotting four year old has been seen three times this term, picking up from where he left off last term having won five races in a row as three year old and he made it six on his first start this term at Navan in the Group Three Vintage Crop Stakes.

He was then sent over to America for the Belmont Gold Cup over two miles and he was an emphatic winner of the race making himself a Group Two victor.

He was last seen in France in the Grand Prix Saint-Cloud over 1m4f and the drop in trip did not suit at all with him back in fifth.

Stepping back up to his optimum trip and having some time off, should see him fresh for this event and at 5/1 is an each way bet.

The penultimate event of the afternoon is the six furlong Auction Sale Stakes and the British raider Adjuvant for Michael Bell looks a big player.

The son of New Bay has shown bundles of ability on all three of his starts to date, making his debut at Chester on good ground and winning narrowly.

He came on a lot for that first experience next time out at Salisbury on good to soft ground, taking a novice event by two lengths, with the form of that race being franked with the second bolting up a few days after at Beverley over the same trip.

Making his handicap debut at Glorious Goodwood off a mark of 85 he could only finish sixth of 13 and this field looks easier especially 1lb lower.

The final event at The Curragh sees the 1m2f Premier Handicap and we are taking a chance on the Aidan O'Brien trained Lough Derg.

The three year old has been contesting some good races this term, finishing fourth behind stablemate Bolshoi Ballet in the Group Three Ballysax Stakes on seasonal debut.

He then gave his best run of the season in the Group Three Derby Trial Stakes at Leopardstown when again second behind his stablemate.

Since then he has dipped in form with some poor runs in Listed and Group Three company but now going into handicaps off a fair mark he can spark a revival and at a double figure price looks value.