There’s some classy midweek action over at Cork on Wednesday as the track plays host to the Listed Midsummer Sprint Stakes and the Group 3 Munster Oaks. Our Irish racing expert has delved into the fields for both races, providing in-depth previews of the contests. Check this out below, along with an exclusive new customer sign-up at Betfred, who are offering a Bet £10 – Get £60 In Free Bets Bonus.
Midsummer Sprint Stakes (6:40pm, 5f, Listed)
Joe Murphy’s stable star Gustavus Weston hasn’t been at his best in two starts so far this season, but connections drop him back into Listed company for this assignment and enlist a first-time hood, which could prove a good decision given how hard he pulled at the Curragh last time out. He does have to concede weight to some useful 3yos here, however, and there’s a suspicion that 5f is short of his optimum.
Aidan O’Brien’s Prettiest hasn’t won since her debut last May but has been set some tough assignments in the meantime. It is a concern that she hasn’t managed to better an RPR of 89 in three starts this year, however, finishing down the field in the Polonia Stakes here last month.
Ger Lyons unleashes two useful fillies, with the lightly raced Pirate Jenny interesting having won two of her three starts to date, making a winning 3yo debut in a Curragh handicap last month. Dropping back to 5f isn’t expected to inconvenience, but it does look notable that stable jockey Colin Keane favours GEOCENTRIC, who appears to have been found a good opportunity to get back to winning ways.
This daughter of Kodiac was an impressive winner in this grade at Dundalk on her final juvenile outing. She has failed to supplement in a pair of runs this term but has shown plenty of pace on both occasions and looked slightly unfortunate last time out when hampered late on. She comes out a clear best at the weights and with no obvious pace alternative should be allowed to dictate things on the front end. If doing so, she is expected to prove tough to peg back.
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Munster Oaks (7:10pm, 1m4f, Group 3)
Aidan O’Brien has landed five of the last eight renewals of the Munster Oaks and he has both Lily Pond and Kiss You Later entered in an attempt to enhance that record. The former is the pick of Ryan Moore and therefore presumably the stable first string. She made a winning debut in a Dundalk maiden in April and backed that up with a respectable second in the Group 3 Blue Wind Stakes at Naas next time (winner subsequently sixth in the Oaks).
The extra 2f should suit on the back of that showing and she receives a stone from the older horses, so whilst improvement is required that weights pull certainly makes her of interest.
Ger Lyons took this with Thunder Kiss 12 months ago and she’s back to defend her crown in 2022. An extended 1m2f looked on the sharp side at York last month and going back up to this distance will be of benefit to her, for all that this does look like a stronger renewal than the one she took last year.
Stablemate Yaxeni is expected to find things happening too quickly dropped to 1m4f on ground quicker than ideal.
Forebearance can strip fitter for a recent comeback run and represents the Jessica Harrington stable which has started June in flying form, but she does look a little short given she didn’t beat a rival home last time and has to concede weight all round.
Startedwithakiss makes a quick reappearance having landed an apprentice handicap at Leopardstown last week, but she has a good bit to find on these terms and preference instead goes to ROSSCARBERY, another runner who has progressed from handicaps to tackle pattern races.
Paddy Twomey’s filly was quite highly tried at times for Joe Murphy, so evidently showed some ability at home, and that has been harnessed with aplomb since joining her current stable – with Rosscarbery bringing her record to a perfect 3-3 when landing a Roscommon handicap just over a fortnight ago.
Admittedly this is a big step up in class for Rosscarbery, but she travelled into that last race like a Group horse contesting handicaps and she was conceding just shy of two stone to the runner-up, with the front two 9l clear of the remainder.
The recent rain to have hit Cork will help the German-bred Rosscarbery, who isn’t expected to want it too fast, and going back up to this 1m4f trip should prove a big help, so she’s well worth chancing at the forecast prices.
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