TRIPLE GROUP RACE ACTION AT THE CURRAGH: SHAMROCK previews the three Group races on a superb Sunday card at the Curragh.
A superb day to look forward to at the Curragh this afternoon:
2:45 Galileo E.B.F. Futurity Stakes (Group 2) (2yo, Class 1, 7f, 5 runners)
Jim Bolger ended Aidan O’Brien’s hat-trick bid in the race last year but AOB has done his level best to ensure that won’t happen again. He’s set to run three of the five runners, with Arcada (Joseph O’Brien) and Radio Silence (Jim Bolger) completing the field.
If all five go to post it looks set to be a terrific race with obviously plenty of classic clues emanating as we get confirmation of the hierarchy of the Ballydoyle youngsters.
O’Brien usually saves his very best for this race. War Command won it 2013 and Gleneagles in 2014.
Capri and Churchill are clearly Aidan O’Brien’s main contenders. His other runner, Lancaster Bomber, only scrambled home to win a Leopardstown maiden and now has a seat at the top table which might prove too tough.
Churchill has, for a long while, been the talking horse but has also achieved the most on the track too by winning a Group 3 at Leopardstown – beating Alexios Kommenos by a neck but having to make quite hard work of landing odds of 2/5.
I can’t really be backing him at odds-on today. There are far better odds-on shots. Two-year-olds are still improving at a rapid rate and stable companion Capri looked good when winning a Listed race at Tipperary on good to soft ground.
As DAQMAN points out, it wouldn’t be the biggest shock in the world to see some late non runners in this race and as such I’m afraid it’s a no play race for me with a watching brief.
3:45 Kilfrush Stud Royal Whip Stakes (Group 3) (3yo+, Class 1, 1m 2f, 7 runners)
US Army Ranger looks the nap on the card. Any further rain (and plenty is forecast) should help his cause. He gave odds-on players an almighty shock when scrambling home to beat stable companion Port Douglas in the Chester Vase and then chased home Harzand in the Epsom Derby.
The drop back in trip should help, the Derby form looks solid this year and US Army Ranger can see off his older rivals.
4:15 Breast Cancer Research Debutante Stakes (Fillies’ Group 2) (2yo, Class 1, 7f, 9 runners)
Rehana at the prices looks the bet. She has already beaten Rhododendron over course and distance. Rhododendron went on to win at Goodwood but Rehana might well prove too strong for her again today. Brave Anna bids for a hat-trick but on the evidence of her Albany Stakes win at Royal Ascot I wasn’t convinced the extra furlong will be ideal today.
SHAMROCK’S BETS:
NAP: US Army Ranger (3.45 Curragh)
NEXT BEST: Rehana (4.15 Curragh)
£25 IN FREE BETS
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