Cheerupsleepyjean ran a huge race last time out at 50/1 odds in the Queen Mary (G2, 5f) at Royal Ascot and the filly is taken to relish the step up to 6f given the manner she kept on into 3rd in that race.
The daughter of Starspangledbanner is a past course winner at the Curragh upon good ground and will appreciate the return to the venue upon similar conditions once more.
| Date | Course | Distance | Type | Weight | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27/06/21 | CUR | 6 | GF | 9-2 | 3 |
| 16/06/21 | ASC | 5 | GF | 9-0 | 3 |
| 03/05/21 | CUR | 5 | Y | 9-0 | 6 |
| 17/04/21 | CUR | 5 | Gd | 8-13 | 1 |
Blairmayne looks to be on a competitive mark ahead of the Country Homes handicap and is expected to put last time outs run behind him given the calamity of errors involved in that race which included missing the break and being completely shut off when trying to make his running down the home straight.
The 8yo gelding is a dual C&D winner at the track and will appreciate the return to his favoured venue whilst the run on his penultimate start, when returning from a 7 month layoff, was an impressive 2nd placed effort, well above what was expected of him, signifying that he's in good form and great shape this season.
| Date | Course | Distance | Type | Weight | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05/04/24 | DUN | 6 | St | 9-12 | 7 |
| 14/10/23 | NAA | 6 | Sft/Hy | 9-2 | 5 |
| 20/08/23 | CUR | 6 | Gd | 8-10 | 8 |
| 22/07/23 | CUR | 6.5 | Sft | 8-9 | 17 |
| 05/05/23 | COR | 7 | Sft/Hy | 9-0 | 3 |
Urban Beat, offers an interesting proposition here for Johnny Murtagh, dropping back into handicap company after some respectable efforts in Group and Listed company.
A Group 3 winner on his final run last season, Urban Beat looks the class angle in this field and is taken to bounce back from a 6th placed finish in the Greenlands stakes (G2, 6f) last time out which was on the heavier side of soft, not sure to have suited.
The son of Red Jazz wasn't actually beaten too far that day either and was just 1 length behind subsequent Group 1 runner-up Glen Shiel, thereby boosting that form.
Johnny Murtagh's yard are in great form currently and past C&D winner, Urban Beat, is expected to run a big race here to continue that trend.
Despite falling short of expectations this season, Aidan O'Brien's Santa Barbara looks to have no excuses heading into the Pretty Polly stakes with conditions looking to play into the hands of the 3yo filly.
The daughter of Camelot should relish the drop back in trip to 10f whilst the return to the Curragh upon good ground is sure to suit given her impressive debut effort here at the track upon similar ground.
Ryan Moore is booked on board looking to give A P O'Brien his 6th success in the race and his 2nd in 2 years after the impressive Magical in 2020.
10f looks the key to unlocking Santa Barbara's star studded potential.
| Date | Course | Distance | Type | Weight | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14/08/21 | ARL | 9.5 | Gd | 8-5 | 1 |
| 10/07/21 | BLM | 10 | Gd | 8-9 | 1 |
| 27/06/21 | CUR | 10 | GF | 9-0 | 2 |
| 04/06/21 | EPS | 12 | GS | 9-0 | 5 |
| 02/05/21 | NMK | 8 | GF | 9-0 | 4 |
If ridden with a more tentative approach in the Curragh Cup, Pondus, is taken to improve upon his 2nd placed finish last time out back over the 14f trip.
Noted as getting going too early last time out in a premier handicap, Joseph O'Brien's runner was headed in the final strides over C&D, despite running off a huge weight for the affair.
The son of Sea The Moon is a past Listed winner and has placed multiple times in group company.
14f looks an optimum trip for the now 5yo gelding and on just his 3rd run this season, he's expected to progress once more over the distance now stripping primed and fit for the race.
| Date | Course | Distance | Type | Weight | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25/09/22 | SWN | 7.5 | Gd | 8-11 | 9 |
| 16/04/22 | CAU | 10 | Gd | 9-4 | 8 |
| 05/03/22 | FLE | 8 | GS | 8-9 | 8 |
| 02/11/21 | FLE | 16 | Gd | 8-4 | 17 |
| 23/10/21 | MOO | 12.5 | GS | 8-11 | 4 |
