Group Three Curragh Irish St Leger Trial Stakes Guide 2022

Dermot Weld's 6 year old is a 2 time winner of the Irish St Leger, having won the classic back in 2019 to beat Kew Gardens.

Despite having a lacklustre year in 2020, he still managed to notch a win in the Irish St Leger to easily beat Fujaira Prince and record successive victories in the race.

He failed to repeat the feat last year and ended up a well beaten favourite, coming home back in 6th. He’s been well seen off by Kyprios and Stradivarius this season and struggled in group 2 company in France back in May.

A return to this course and distance should suit him however and he’s likely to play a big part in the finish here.

Joseph O’Brien’s 6 year old comes here off the back of a decent showing last time out in a listed contest at Limerick over 12.5 furlongs. Despite being sent off 4/5 favourite he had to settle for 2nd.

After winning a listed race when in the care of Andrew Balding, Raise You made the switch over to Ireland where he struggled initially. Until being gelded he started to find some success, winning a handicap narrowly.

His form has been relatively up and down since then, shaping ok in handicaps and winning a low level event in Ireland when moving up in trip. He’s been at his best this season.

Winning a listed race on comeback easily before narrowly being denied last time out. Going further again could yet unlock more improvement in the 6 year old gelding.

After failing to score as a 2 year old in maiden company, Moon Daisy found some success in low level handicaps last season, scoring at Doncaster and Fairyhouse smartly.

She rounded out the campaign last year with another handicap win and has seen her sights elevated for this season. A decent 2nd in a handicap back in June saw her then go for listed races.

Twelve furlongs looking too sharp for her and a group 3 for fillies looking too taxing for her, she did shape well to be 2nd in a listed race last time out.

She ran well enough over 14 furlongs when last seen but has struggled at group level and is likely to find this difficult too.

A very lightly raced 4 year old, Seattle Creek was beaten in a maiden last year before going on to line up in the Irish St Leger at a massive 200/1. Finishing a well beaten 9th of 13.

Kept on the go following his average showing in the Irish classic, Seattle Creek made multiple attempts at breaking his maiden, eventually doing so on the all weather at Dundalk over a mile and a half back in January.

Put away for 94 days off the back of that success, he was last seen coming last in a listed race over 14 furlongs at Navan. He looks highly unlikely to play a major role here.

A lightly raced 3 year old, Temple Of Artemis has just made the move over to Joseph O’Brien’s yard from the Aidan O’Brien yard.

Unable to score a victory in his first two outings as a 2 year old, Temple Of Artemis was put away for the season off the back of that and returned with an average outing in maiden company at Leopardstown back in April. Only managing to come 3rd of the 7 runners.

Last seen breaking his maiden in handicap company, he made relatively light work of a mark of 88 to win at Chester smartly over 12.5 furlongs.

Shaping like a longer trip will suit, he’s got class to prove here but will still be improving.

Aidan O’Brien’s Honeycomb comes here a maiden after failing to win in any of her four outings of this season.
Debuting at Gowran over 9.5 furlongs back in April, she was well beaten and faced a similar outcome next time out at the Curragh.

Moving up in trip at Killarney saw her shape much better in a fillies race over 11 furlongs to be 2nd but she really failed to build upon that and was beaten a wide margin last time out.

Her worst runs have come on soft underfoot conditions so a sounder surface should see her go better. However, it would be a surprise to see her break her maiden in group 3 company.