This is an ultra competitive handicap over 6f with lots of these horses having faced each other many times before.
If you look at the last three winners, they’ve all been trained in the UK – lots of Irish trainers feel that the UK-based horses get in here lightly. Some of the results in top level flat handicaps have definitely reflected that.
George Bowen won this race two years ago off a similar mark. The trainer must be keen on his chances as he wouldn’t send him again if he wasn’t showing some spark. Tithonus would be a popular winner for his shrewd trainer Denis Hogan and he loves it at the Curragh.
Jump over to PaddyPower.com for the latest racing oddsThis is a decent contest that, surprisingly, Aidan O’Brien has won only once in the last ten years. I think that will change as he has three really strong chances in the reckoning. I love Seventh Heaven: she was so impressive last time; cast your mind back also to when she beat the mighty Found. Last year’s winner Shamreen can’t be ignored, currently priced at 7/1, and nor can the 3-year-old from Ballydoyle.
Many people are surprised to see Caravaggio back over the minimum trip of 5f. His form of late is telling you this horse wants further – but who are we to question a trainer who is simply a genius with racehorses.
If he is able to capture some of his old spark he will win easily!
Caspian Prince has a good chance of following him home.
This one carries on the theme of cracking fillies races.
Clemmie is beautifully bred and is the choice of Ryan Moore. I really like Magical at the prices to run a huge race – I was really taken with her when she beat some of today’s rivals. She looks a big filly who could still be maturing, but we can’t desert Alpha Centauri either: she ran a hell of a race at Royal Ascot.
4.15 – Vincent O’Brien National Stakes
This race is always one of the best guides for the 2,000 Guineas that follows it. The last ten runnings have produced the winner of the English or Irish Guineas on three and four occasions, respectively.
This Gustav Klimt will surely add to Aidan’s already impressive record in this race, and he did well to win at Newmarket from an uncompromising position.
Bedford is the obvious danger.
The Irish St Leger is redemption time for Order of St George. He was mugged in the Ascot Gold Cup by Big Orange, although he was not as ideally placed as Big Orange was.
The rest, as they say, is history.
Wicklow Brave is the value each-way punt in here: last year’s surprise winner has run some good races this season
This is a sales races, whereby the less you cost at auction the lighter weight you carry. A lot of these horses have yet to play their hand in handicaps but are favoured by conditions.
I’m going for a home star here: Johnny Murtagh and Niall McCullagh have been friends for years and Wolf of Baggot Street could reward them with a big win here.
The lucky last is a chance for Colin Keane and Ger Lyons to get on the scoresheet with Mawaany. The each-way value here is Jet Streaming with star Apprentice Danny Sheehy on board.
*all prices correct at time of posting
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