ON THE FINAL DAY OF THE CURRAGH FESTIVAL: SHAMROCK previews the four Group races on the card with his NAP in the Pretty Polly at 4.20.
Seldom can we have learnt so little after a Classic race. Australia’s price tag of 1/8 wrote the script before the race even took place.
The ground was always going to be a factor in Kingston Hill’s participation so it was no great surprise to see him defect but it left Australia with a very easy task to follow-up his Epsom Derby success at the Curragh.
Winning jockey Joseph O’Brien said after the race: “This is a very special horse, he was an armchair ride. He has a massive engine and we still haven’t seen the best of this horse. I’d love to ride him at a mile and a quarter”.
His map this season has yet to be finalised but a crack against the older horses looks more than likely in the Irish Champion at Leopardstown in September.
2:45 Grangecon Stud Stakes (Fillies’ Group 3) (2yo, Class 1, 6f, 11 runners)
A nightmare betting heat with so many of these fillies being likely significant improvers. Dangerous to say it, but this looks beyond Aidan O’Brien this year as his runners As Good As Gold and I Am Beautiful don’t look good enough on what we have seen. Narrow preference is for the David Wachman trained Back To Base who impressed when winning her debut at Limerick and shouldn’t be inconvenienced by the drop back in trip.
3:15 At The Races Curragh Cup (Group 3) (3yo+, Class 1, 1m 6f, 8 runners)
Ernest Hemingway romped home by five lengths in this race last year and can follow-up. He gets his ground again and can defy the break. He clashes again with Certerach who won the Dubai Gold Cup at Meydan but preference is for the O’Brien runner to get his revenge.
3:45 Friarstown Stud International Stakes (Group 3) (3yo+, Class 1, 1m 2f, 5 runners)
I thought this looked trickier than the market suggested. My instinct is to lay Ebanoran at around evens. Three-year-olds don’t have a great record in this race and the John Oxx trained runner is still lacking in experience. He drops back to 10 furlongs having finished ninth in the Derby at Epsom.
4:20 Newbridge Silverware Pretty Polly Stakes (Fillies’ Group 1) (3yo+, Class 1, 1m 2f, 10 runners)
Thistle Bird is sure to make a bold bid for the UK. Roger Charlton’s runner repeated her success in the Princess Elizabeth Stakes at Epsom on Derby Day. The extra distance will suit her here but I am not sure she is quite up to winning a Group 1. It might be still a UK win though as Ambivalent very much enters the reckoning after her excellent third to Cirrus Des Aigles in the Coronation Cup at Epsom.
SHAMROCK’S BETS:
NAP: Ambivalent (4.20 Curragh)
NEXT BEST: Ernest Hemingway (3.15 Curragh)
LAY: Ebanoran (3.45 Curragh)
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