Curragh Saturday Preview - 29/06/19

NO BET

With us not advertising a tip for the first race we start in the Listed Dash Stakes over six furlongs and we have sided with the Jessica Harrington trained Flash Gordon

This three year old colt looks to have a superb chance if running to the same standard as all three of his runs this season not finishing outside of the top three on all of his runs.

He is one of the more unexposed horses in this race which could play to his strengths and having a win at this distance and previously performing well at the Curragh makes him a player.

Another Listed contest follows with the Celebration Stakes over a mile and Jim Bolger's Flight Risk is the gelding who catches our eye in this race.

This eight year old gelding comes into this contest in superb form this season not finishing outside of the top two in all three of his runs.

He finished second at the Curragh on his seasonal debut behind a smart four year old but has since won both his races on quick ground and getting the same conditions on Saturday gives him every chance of landing the hat-trick.

The Group 3 International Stakes sees a superb field of runners go to post and Aidan O'Brien's runner Blenheim Palace is our selection in the 1 mile 2 furlong event.

The three old colt has ran to a fair standard this season, loving good ground and winning over this distance before which makes him one to note.

On his second start this season he won nicely in 16 runner race at Navan and then backed that up with a superb second behind Epsom Derby fourth and stablemate Broome which looks like decent form.

He will need to brush off his French Derby run, with the step up to Group 1 being a bit much for him but now back in a Group 3 should thrive again.

Next up is the The Irish Village Premier Handicap over a mile and in this tricky, big fielded contest we fancy the Dermot Weld trained Jassaar to run a big race.

This gelding has ran three times this season, blowing the cobs away on his seasonal debut with a strong fourth of 17 runners at Gowran Park but backing that up with two consecutive wins.

He landed a 16 runner contest at Limerick on soft ground and then backed that up with a win in a 14 runner contest at the Curragh on good to firm showing he is very versatile and he has a leading chance.

Getting towards the end of the card and the Group 2 Railway Stakes shows off some superb two year olds and Siskin for Ger Lyons is the pick of the bunch.

This colt has only ran twice in his short two year old career but he has shown plenty of ability at six furlongs and comes into this race with a unbeaten record.

His first win on his debut came at Naas beating some smart newcomers but then he landed a race over course and distance that was very eye-catching and if being as progressive as he has previously shown he should win this.

The feature race of the day at the Curragh is the Irish Derby over 1 mile 4 furlongs and we have sided with the Kevin Prendergast trained Madhmoon to land the Group 1 spoils.

Madhmoon has been a superbly progressive horse so far this season racing three times since his two wins as a juvenile and although losing his unbeaten streak, he has stepped up massively in class and competed at the highest level.

On his seasonal debut back in April he ran over seven furlongs at Leopardstown in a 2000 Guineas trial and although not liking the soft ground was a good second and showed plenty of his two year old self.

He then stepped up for the Newmarket Group 1 feature and in the 19 strong field ran a cracker to finish a narrow fourth with plenty of speculation around draw bias and if the three year old would have been over on the stands side, he maybe would have been closer to the leader.

However, Prendergast from that run decided to change his tactics with his horses and sent him over further and with that in mind put him in the Epsom Derby.

What a great training decision this was as Madhmoon ran a stormer finishing a narrow second by half a length to Aidan O'Brien's Anthony Van Dyck but it showed that the step up in trip massively improved the horse.

He looks to have a real chance if being able to give a little more in the final stages of the race and the flatter track should help him.

The final race of the afternoon at the Curragh and what brings an end to three days of racing in Ireland is the 1 mile 2 furlong Handicap and we have gone for Tirmizi.

The Michael Halford trained six year old is a very consistent runner for the yard only finishing outside of the top three once in his four runs this season.

On his second start this season he got of the mark for the year winning at Clonmel since then he has been stepped up in trip and has handled it very well showing he will stay the trip and the drying ground is a big positive.