IRISH ST LEGER FORM AND RATINGS: After his preview of Saturday’s Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown yesterday, Daqman turns to ratings and form for the Sunday St Leger at the Curragh.
FIRM CHOICE AT 22.0: Often close up in big fields, could the firm ground help a 22.0 offer land a Group 3 at Salisbury this afternoon?
KYPRIOS CLEAR IN THE RATINGS
⭕ 4.35 Curragh, Sunday (Irish St Leger): Return of FORTUNE COOKIE Kyprios to defend his Curragh Leger crown of last year (rated 119), as also in the decade did Order Of St George (Aidan O’Brien 2015 and 2017 off 115 and 120) and Search For A Song (Dermot Weld, 2019 and 2020, rated 105 and 115.
124 KYPRIOS (Aidan O’Brien) stepped up to a rating of 124 after winning this as part of a six-timer in the Pattern last year, which started when he won a Navan Listed off only 100.
He took the Ascot Gold Cup and Goodwood Cup in that sequence, on ground from good to firm to the very soft at Longchamp which saw him take the Cadran (French Gold Cup) by 20 lengths. Not seen since that day, October 1 in 2022.
117 ELDAR ELDAROV (Roger Varian) Seemed to have a big shout on the Cup scene after winning the 2022 Doncaster St Leger, but his best effort has been at the Leger trip when second in the Yorkshire Cup in the Spring; seventh then fourth in the Ascot Gold Cup and Goodwood Cup.
117 HAMISH (William Haggas) Always held when runner-up to Kyprios in this last year; four wins out of five since then but all were Group 3 and did not improve his rating.
116 BROOME (Aidan O’Brien) Has won from 1m 2f to 2m but 1m 4f success at Meydan isolated among 11 defeats since he took the 2022 Hardwicke at Royal Ascot.
111 EMILY DICKINSON (Aidan O’Brien) Fifth to Eldar Eldarov in 2022 Doncaster St Leger before winning the Loughbrown Stakes (2m, heavy) in October. Twice successful over 1m 6f, including the Curragh Cup this term, in between fourth and second, not disgraced but well beaten, in both the Ascot Gold and Goodwood Cups.
109 VALIANT KING (Joseph O’Brien) Three year olds have won this three times in the last eight years. This is the only one left in the line-up on Sunday.
The son of Roaring Lion has stepped up 20lb since winning his maiden in May; second in the King George V Handicap at Royal Ascot and second again in his first Pattern race (Group 3 at Naas).
BERRIES BRED TO LIKE IT FIRM
⭕ 3.40 Salisbury (Dick Poole Fillies Stakes, 2yo Group 3, 6f) All eyes will be on Aidan O’Brien’s Cambridge in the 2.40, his first runner at Salisbury in 18 years. But, as ever, I’ve taken on the trickier challenge of a quality sprint.
The low six stalls have won eight times in the decade but twice recently we’ve had hold-up fillies come off the pace: 11 beat 14 in 2010 and last year 9 beat 10.
My eye is immediately caught by Ralph Beckett, who won this last year and is so good with fillies but, while Queen Of Mougins might overcome the 8 stall, she has only one race under her belt, albeit a winning debut, with her trainer remarking that she was professional though obviously a little green.
In her favour is that she came from the rear in the Newbury race; against is that second and third have both been beaten since.
What she has to do today has already been done by Miaharris, the likely favourite. As trainer Owen Burrows put it: ‘We took a punt that she could follow up her Sandown win at Newbury and she did it well after being hampered.’
She beat Juniper Berries (4th) that day but all her form is over 5f and she comes out of gate 15 today.
Juniper Berries has been learning to settle and may now be ready for the step up to 6f. Her dam’s progeny is hot on firm ground.
Albany Stakes third Soprano was always going to get further in George Boughey’s eyes but she has been twice beaten over 7f and is now brought back to six.
The Princess Margaret winner at Ascot in July, Symbology was third in the Lowther at York to the Queen Mary runner-up.
That makes her the form filly here and, again, we have a rear runner who should not be inconvenienced by stall 11.
Betdaq Betting Exchange 5.6 Symbology, 22 Juniper Berries
DRAW A BIG HELP FOR NAXOS
⭕ 7.45 Wolverhampton The appeal of Naxos is that he’s twice won on Tapeta and, as a likely front-runner from the one stall, may altogether be more at home here than the other three-year-old, Have Secret.
Have Secret is down in grade and the stable is in form but his best efforts have been with cut in the ground over a little bit further; so he’s coming back in trip in a faster race.
Civil Law is back on his favourite track (form figures at Wolver 121110) but flopped there last time and has been out of the frame in four AW starts since, so has to bounce back.
A BOLD MOVE WITH PRISONER
⭕ 8.45 Wolverhampton Curragh-based Johnny Levins trained a winner on the Newcastle Tapeta only last week and his overall record raiding the English scene is 28%.
Prisoner’s Dilemma was one of his entries for the Bold Lad Sprint at the Curragh on Sunday. Tonight’s £51k-to-the-winner handicap is much easier but still a big prize and he’s won four times on the Dundalk Polytrack. BETDAQ morning value 7.6.
Mum’s Tipple is 2-2 at Wolverhampton but has never won off a mark this high. Despite being gelded, Celtic Champion was up to his old tricks at Newmarket on his first start since February, trying to duck out at the start. Drawn wide today.
DAQMAN’S TIPS
3.40 Salisbury (win 20)
BET 4.25pts win SYMBOLOGY
BET 1pt win and place JUNIPER BERRIES
7.45 Wolverhampton (win 20, nap)
BET 5.25pts win NAXOS
8.45 Wolverhampton (win 20)
BET 3pts win and place PRISONERS DILEMMA
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