Horse Racing Tips: Ryan McCue’s ante-post Irish Champions Festival preview

Paddy Power trader Ryan McCue guides us though this weekend's Irish Champions racing.

Leopardstown Races Flat

By / Horse Racing Tips / 1 year ago

Ryan McCue’s Ante-Post Horse Racing Tips:

Saturday at Leopardstown
14:15 Capulet (each-way)
14:45 Just Beautiful
15:20 Onesto & White Birch (each-way)
15:55 Tahiyra
16:30 Valiant King
17:05 Nusret
17:40 Prisoner’s Dilemma (each-way)

Sunday at The Curragh
13:50 My Eyes Adore You (each-way)
14:25 Above The Curve
14:55 Highfield Princess
15:25 Bellezza (each-way)
16:00 Bucanero Fuerte
16:35 Tower Of London (each-way)
17:10 A Lilac Rolla
17:45 Kingswood (each-way)

*Odds quoted on the widget are Future Racing / Antepost prices which means that if your selection does not run in the race for whatever reason – you will lose your stake under traditional Antepost rules

Saturday at Leopardstown

14:15 – Capulet (each-way)

This all depends on what Aidan O’Brien runs. He’ll more than likely have the favourite come race time. Diego Velasquez could run and the step up to a mile would look his obvious next step given how strong he hit the line on debut. I’d be interested if CAPULET ran.

He won on debut at Dundalk, but ground it out well that day and finished over five lengths in front of a Joseph O’Brien-trained runner that bolted up off 77 in a nursery afterwards. I liked his attitude and if  Diego Velasquez ran in this race, Capulet should be an each-way price.

14:45 – Just Beautiful

Homeless Songs is top rated, but she’s also entered in the Matron Stakes which is a Grade 1 contest. She was a beaten favourite in that race last year and Dermot Weld has Tahiyra in the Matron Stakes this year. Even with the weight-for-age allowance, there’s no three-year-old in it that I’m intersted in at this stage.

JUST BEAUTIFUL also has an entry in the Matron Stakes but she’d be very interesting if opting for this race. She made all to win over a mile at the Curragh in May beating Jumbly (rated 105) & Insinuendo (rated 109), but has form over shorter too and the race could set up well for her.

15:20 – Onesto & White Birch (each-way)

ONESTO ran a career best in this race last season and he looks like he’s been laid out for a crack at this and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. His comeback run was over an inadequate mile trip in the Jacques Le Marois behind Inspiral, where he ran with plenty of credit.

Desert Crown, Ace Impact and Mostahdaf will not run so there won’t be a big field. I’d be happy to take on the three-year-olds with Onesto.

WHITE BIRCH was just over five lengths behind August Rodin and King of Steel in the Epsom Derby and was inconvenienced in the Irish Derby at the Curragh. He was a course and distance winner on heavy ground in April, so if the rain arrives it won’t bother him. He’s also entered in the Paddy Power Stakes on the same card.

15:55 – Tahiyra

It’s very hard to get away from TAHIYRA as her only defeat came in the English 1,000 Guineas before winning the Irish 1,000 Guineas and at Royal Ascot. She’s been freshened up for this since and with her being versatile with regards to ground I’m sure she’ll go into a lot of multiples on the day.

16:30 – Valiant King

As far as I know the plan for VALIANT KING is to have one more run before heading to Australia and this would look like an ideal race for him, although he’s also entered in the Irish Leger. He’s been improving all season and only found Vauban too good at Naas last time out. It’s wide open but I can’t see him at a double-digit price on the day if connections opt for this contest.

17:05 – Nusret

NUSRET is only on a 2lbs higher mark than when he won a Premier Handicap in June at the Curragh over 1m 6f. This race is his only entry too all weekend.

He won’t be missed in the market, but it’s very hard not to fancy him at the weights. If he’s 5/1 or bigger I’ll be backing him especially with the extra places on offer.

17:40 – Prisoners Dilemma (each-way)

Runners trained in the UK have won five of the last nine renewals of this race and there’s seven entered ahead of Thursday’s final declarations. PRISIONERS DILEMMA has been dropping in the weights recently and a return to 7f off a mark of 88 may well see him improve. Four of his seven wins have come over this 7f trip and he hasn’t been disgraced in three runs this season. He could go well at a nice price.

Sunday at The Curragh

    13:50 – My Eyes Adore You (each-way)

    The handicapper looks to have given MY EYES ADORE YOU a chance. She’s been contesting Pattern and Conditions races all season, running with credit on her last two starts. Dropping back to handicap company at a course she has won at and run some good races in defeat, she’s definitely of interest.

    14:25 – Above The Curve

    Top-rated ABOVE THE CURVE would be a relatively short price for this should they opt to send her. It would look like the ideal race for her as the Matron Stakes trip on Saturday would be too sharp. She wouldn’t be good enough to win the Irish Champion Stakes in my opinion. She’s been placed in her last three Group 1 races, this would look an ideal opportunity for her.

    14:55 – Highfield Princess

    UK horses have won three of the last five runnings of this contest and they have the three market leaders in the early betting. I’d probably side with HIGHFIELD PRINCESS, she’s getting an extra 1lb in this contest off Bradsell and she’s one win from one start at the track as opposed to Bradsell, who ran poorly on his only run at the Curragh – albeit with a small bit of an excuse. I wasn’t in love with anything at a price so I’ll be boring and stick with Highfield Princess.

    15:25 – Bellezza (each-way)

    A lot of people will be interested in the Moyglare-owned Red Viburnum given how well she ran after being well backed on debut in a winners’ race. However, Ger Lyons’ filly BELLEZZA in the same colours is also of interest. She is a big filly who won at Leopardstown on debut and the fact she could win first time up, having been strong enough in the market, was noticeable. The form has worked out well too with Navassa Island and Brilliant winning subsequently. She should take a big step forward again from her debut win and is a nice each-way price in the ante-post lists.

    16:00 – Bucanero Fuerte

    City Of Tory has been dominant in his two wins to date and is the favourite for next season’s 2,000 Guineas. For me though there’s a little bit too much of a gap between him and BUCANERO FUERTE in the market.

    There’s only been six and seven runners in this race in the past two seasons and with the big number of entries we had to be three places each-way at this stage.  I wouldn’t put people off backing Bucanero Fuerte each-way even though I probably shouldn’t be encouraging that working for a bookmaker!

    He’s the only one I can see beating City Of Troy and this race should cut up plenty.

    16:35 – Tower Of London (each-way)

    TOWER OF LONDON is unlucky not to be three wins from four this season and with him getting upwards of 6lbs off his older rivals, he has to be of serious interest. He’s still in the English St Leger but I haven’t seen anything to say he’s going there and he’s a 33/1 shoit in that. It’s an open Irish St Leger but he’d interest me.

    17:10 – A Lilac Rolla

    A LILAC ROLLA and Native American will be towards the front of the betting should they both run but A Lila Rolla will be getting the 5lbs sex allowance off the colt. She’s a course winner and she’ll take plenty of beating.

    17:45 – Kingswood (each-way)

    I don’t have a strong view on it at this stage. I like KINGSWOOD but you couldn’t say he’s thrown in here at the weights. If he turns up, I’d keep an eye on his price.

    Ryan McCue’s Ante-Post Horse Racing Tips:

    Saturday @ Leopardstown
    14:15 Capulet (each-way)
    14:45 Just Beautiful
    15:20 Onesto & White Birch (each-way)
    15:55 Tahiyra
    16:30 Valiant King
    17:05 Nusret
    17:40 Prisoner’s Dilemma (each-way)

    Sunday @ The Curragh
    13:50 My Eyes Adore You (each-way)
    14:25 Above The Curve
    14:55 Highfield Princess
    15:25 Bellezza (each-way)
    16:00 Bucanero Fuerte
    16:35 Tower Of London (each-way)
    17:10 A Lilac Rolla
    17:45 Kingswood (each-way)

    *Odds quoted on the widget are Future Racing / Antepost prices which means that if your selection does not run in the race for whatever reason – you will lose your stake under traditional Antepost rules

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