Horse Racing tips: 5 to thrive at the Curragh on Saturday

PPTV's James Shortt has a few value picks in mind.

*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change

13:20 – Cairo

Paddy Power Irish Cambridgeshire day at the Curragh gets underway with a 1-mile juvenile maiden where CAIRO can score for Aidan O’Brien and Wayne Lordan. The Ballydoyle team has dominated this race over the past decade and also saddle newcomer Gulf Of Mexico with Seamie Heffernan onboard. However, the benefit of experience following his staying on second on debut here earlier this month, along with the step-up in trip should see Cairo break his maiden in this opener.

The O’Brien team are in great form at present and any market support for Gulf Of Mexico should be noted with the son of Galileo holding a host of top-class entries down the line. Warrior Lion looks the biggest danger having finished an eye-catching second at Naas for Joseph O’Brien, while Kingswood might be a dark horse on debut for John O’Donoghue. The son of Roaring Lion holds an entry in the Beresford Stakes next month and runs for Earlswood owners, the Davies family.

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    13:55 – Eternal Silence (EW)

    Jessica Harrington previously won this Newtownanner Stud Stakes with Jack Naylor, Cayenne Pepper and Magical Lagoon, so it’s interesting she’s running ETERNAL SILENCE despite only having one start when down the field here at HQ last month. Having gone off 5/2 second favourite for that maiden, I’m willing to forgive her poor performance with the hope of further improvement, with this daughter of War Front holding a Moyglare entry for her owner/breeders next month.

    The form of her debut run is closely matched with Shelton, who was only 2 ½ lengths ahead of Shane Foley’s mount before returning here to break her maiden for Paddy Twomey. Elsewhere, Caroline Street won nicely on debut for Joseph O’Brien at Leopardstown, while Maybe Just Maybe returns quickly for Aidan O’Brien following her fourth to Meditate last weekend. It looks an open affair and I’m taking a punt on the Harrington team to cause a surprise in this opening group race of the day.

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    14:30 – Treasure Trove (NAP)

    TREASURE TROVE returns quickly for Paddy Twomey and Billy Lee and can claim group success in the Round Tower Stakes following last weekend’s victory at York. The daughter of Siyouni stands out on form with solid runs behind The Antarctic, Blackbeard and Meditate this year before claiming a deserved victory at Listed level on the Knavesmire in that Julia Graves Roses Stakes. A comfortable victory over Rocket Rodney, who was a neck second to Little Big Bear at Ascot is top class form.

    A similar hold up ride by the much inform Billy Lee looks on the cards with this filly returning to six-furlongs with a strong pace looking likely amongst the field. Aidan O’Brien has previously won this race with U S Navy Flag, Ten Sovereigns and Lope Y Fernandez (all in the silks of Derek Smith), with Dower House and Tiger Paw representing the Ballydoyle/Coolmore team this year. I wouldn’t be surprised if both are involved with Lady Tilbury, Ocean Quest and Studio City other contenders.

    15:40 – Juncture (NB)

    The Snow Fairy Stakes doesn’t look the most competitive renewal this year with Seisai the highest rated (106) for Joseph O’Brien. The daughter of Gleneagles looks the one to beat on her latest second to Lily Pond in the Kilboy Estates Stakes last month, with the fourth horse, Rumbles Of Thunder enhancing the form with a subsequent victory in the Give Thanks Stakes. However, I’m siding with JUNCTURE for Ger Lyons who has already seen off her main rival twice as a juvenile.

    The Juddmonte filly landed her maiden at Leopardstown last June with Seisai third before finish just ahead of Joseph O’Brien’s filly yet again in the Sliver Flash Stakes. There 3-year-old starts have taken different directions with Ger Lyons’ filly more lightly raced and coming here following a good second to Boundless Ocean in the Desmond Stakes. That form was enhanced with victory for Charterhouse in Killarney, and I think the extra-furlong will be ideal for this daughter of Dark Angel today.

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    16:15 – Janoobi

    The Paddy Power Irish Cambridgeshire has only been won by 3-year-olds on four occasions over the past 20-years, so it will be interesting to see how leading contenders, Cowboy Justice, Janoobi and Good Heavens perform this year. JANOOBI looks the one that has the potential to develop into a group horse in time and can take this Premier Handicap on the way for the Lyons family, Sean Jones, David Spratt and Colin Keane.

    The son of Night Of Thunder has the scope for further improvement and has development nicely since moving to Glenburnie from Mark Johnston’s earlier this year. His debut second to Eldar Eldarov at Nottingham last October was an excellent run with the winner securing the Queen’s Vase at Ascot back in June. The Lyons team have gone slowly with his progress, and he’s bound to improve from his handicap debut over course and distance earlier this month.

    A rating of 93 puts him around a similar mark to many previous winners, including Mister Sea Wolf who won this race for connections off 95 in 2016. He has a positive draw position from stall 14 and has found early positioning no issues in all four career starts to date. Any further showers would help his chances and he’s a serious contender with stable-mate Hale Bopp and Jack Davison’s Massaman a few others with good chances in an excellent renewal.

    Curragh betting tips:

    13:20 – Cairo
    13:55 – Eternal Silence
    14:30 – Treasure Trove
    15:40 – Juncture
    16:15 – Janoobi

    *All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change

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