It’s Irish Oaks day at the Curragh on Saturday, featuring a superb card all round. GG tipster Joe Napier has previewed the racing, coming up with three best bets on the day’s card.
3.05 Curragh – Barberstown Castle Sapphire Stakes (Group 2)
There are a fair number of dangers, not least two-time Group 1 runner-up Arizona Blaze and dual Group scorer Rumstar, but the form of MGHEERA’s success in the Group 2 Temple Stakes over this distance at Haydock just continues to work out better and better, so further glory may await.
She was a talented mare when trained in France, winning at Listed level and placing in a Group 2 at Chantilly. Any fears that she could not carry on that form since switching to Ed Walker in April have been firmly laid to rest, as she immediately won a Group 3 at Longchamp, then won on her British debut in that high quality Temple Stakes.
Fifth-placed American Affair has come out and won the Group 1 King Charles III Stakes, the sixth, Rumstar, is now a Group race scorer, over second-placed She’s Quality, while Washington Heights, who finished third, won a Listed race at York last weekend. Mgheera did well to win form in rear too, so there could be so much more to come, with Ryan Moore an obvious positive in the saddle.
4.15 Curragh – Michael John Kennedy Curragh Cup (Group 2)
Aidan O’Brien has had regular success in this, but Shackleton has now had enough chances this season, while Al Riffa does not look an obvious one up in trip for son Joseph. Conversely, we know the latter’s stablemate UXMAL stays well and shaped as though he was of a higher class than the races he contested last season.
He had finished second in Listed company in September 2023, but dropped into conditions races in both of his 2024 starts. A 4¼-length success at Killarney preceded a procession at Royal Ascot in which he won the Queen Alexandra Stakes by five lengths over 2m5½f.
Well-backed that day, he was in no danger from a fair way out and though that was winnable, he has fully earned his place at a higher level. A better surface suits too, so he appeals as a guaranteed stayer.
4.50 Curragh – Lavazza Sprint Nursery Handicap
Which Wolf Wins should prove popular for Joseph O’Brien given the yard have won four of the last five runnings of this, but he is far from the form pick. Johnny Murtagh has also won this in the last decade and NAKAMURA has been improving, shaping like a run in a nursery could be the making of him.
Last of ten on debut, he was then a 125/1 shot at Navan on his second start back in April. However, the son of Kodi Bear belied that to finish third in a race won by subsequent Norfolk Stakes scorer Charles Darwin. A much shorter price next time out, he was beaten less than a length over 7½f at Roscommon.
The step back to 6f looks a positive on that effort and a mark of 7f does not look overly frightening, with those representing bigger yards, or having run in Pattern company already, rated accordingly.
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