Curragh Saturday Preview - 16/07/22

The first race of the afternoon is the seven furlong Maiden and it would be a surprise if the Aidan O'Brien trained Hans Andersen didn't get off the mark.

Seen once in his career to date the 450,000gns son of Frankel was a bolt second on soft ground behind a nice type for Donnacha O'Brien over 7.5f.

Dropping down to 7f is no issue and with big improvement expected from this horse on his second start and already holding the leading form in the race, he should go close.

One of the big races of the day is the Group Three Anglesey Stakes over six furlongs and Little Big Bear could make it a quick fire double for the Ballydoyle maestro.

Finishing second to the smart Tough Talk on debut at the Curragh over 6f and then next time out was dropped to 5f and looked highly impressive landing a Maiden by 5 lengths.

He looked better than a Listed horse and was pitched into the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot and went on to get the job done close home in the 24 runner field.

The second has since gone on to win a Listed race convincingly and if improving again should take all the beating.

The first handicap event of the day is the Paddy Power Scurry Handicap over six furlongs and the horse that takes the eye is the Joseph O'Brien Andreas Vesalius.

The three year old son of Caravaggio is not a horse who lacks pace and has shown some fair form to date, getting off the mark at the third time of asking last year and then being seen twice more, rounding off the season with a good second in the Group Three Anglesey Stakes on the same card last year.

Returning this season in May he needed the run over course and distance in the Group Three Lacken Stakes behind Twilight Jet and New York City.

However, last time out he put up a much better performance off a mark of 99 on handicap debut over 6f at Naas when a neck second behind a fair type for Jessica Harrington.

Only up 2lb for that run he should run a big race in this.

The Barberstown Castle Sapphire Stakes over 5f looks a hot renewal this season and we are sticking with the Irish trained Mooniesta to go close.

A very consistent horse this season in good races, the four year old filly made her debut over 6f at Cork in a decent Listed event and finished a good second behind Power Under Me.

Dropped down to five furlong at Naas she was a close up third in another good Listed event and stepped up again in the Group Two Greenlands Stakes when a 1/2 length second behind Brad The Brief.

In her toughest assignment yet, last time out she went to Royal Ascot in the Group One King's Stands Stakes and ran a screamer to finish fourth.

Running to that form sees her go close here and having won this event last year she has a big chance to retain it, with Colin Keane in the saddle again.

The feature race of the day is the Group One Juddmonte Irish Oaks over 1m4f and with Emily Upjohn taking all the beating but at 2/5 we are looking to play one at a bigger price each way.

We like the Ger Lyons trained three year old Caire Go Deo who was seen three times as a juvenile last term winning over seven furlongs on his second start and then went into the Group One Moyglare Stud Stakes and was not too disgraced.

Back this term up in trip at Navan she finished third of nine behind Concert Hall and Magical Lagoon in the Salsabil Stakes over 10f.

Upped again to 13f and she looks to to have found her perfect trip when bolting up in a Listed event by eight lengths then down to 12f last time out won well again in the Listed King George V Cup.

She has to step up massively but at around 20/1 could run a huge race into third and we will be playing her each way.

The penultimate selection of the afternoon comes in the Ladies Derby Handicap over 1m4f and the horse that takes the eye is Vischio with Jodie Townend claiming 5lb in the saddle.

The five year old mare has been round the block but of late has been fairly consistent winning two of her last five events, with the majority of her runs in between seeing her hit the frame.

A winner two starts ago at Gowran Park over 13.5f, he went to Cork last time out in the Cork Derby and finished a close up fourth off a mark of 75.

Off the same mark with 5lb taken off, she is only 3lb above his last winning mark and that makes her dangerous.

The final event of the afternoon is the Fillies Maiden over a mile and Benitoite for Jessica Harrington holds the best form in the race.

The three year old filly made her debut last term in August over 7f at the Curragh and finished a superb second behind Eclat De Lumiere.

Having her first run as a three year old, stepping up to a mile with the yard in hot form, she looks interesting.