Who To Follow At The Curragh On Saturday - 27/05/23

James Mackie | @jamesmackieee

Thu 25 May 2023 15.15

Curragh 14:40

11(7)

Royal Scotsman

J: Jamie Spencer

T: Paul & Oliver Cole

N/A

Age: 3

Weight: 9-2

OR: 118

Days: 21

The feature event of the afternoon from the Curragh is the Group One Irish 2000 Guineas over a mile and having been a big eye-catcher in the English 2000 Guineas Royal Scotsman could take the beating back on better ground.

A very smart juvenile last term when finishing fourth on debut in a hot maiden behind the likes of Noble Style and Walbank, he then went to Goodwood over 6f again and bolted up in a Novice Stakes by five lengths.

Sent to Royal Ascot when a good third in the Group Two Coventry Stakes behind Bradsell and Persian Force, he then went into the Group Two Richmond Stakes at Glorious Goodwood when getting back to winning ways.

Seen twice more before the end of the season he finished a fair fifth of 12 in the Group Two Gimcrack Stakes when now looking like he wanted a step up in trip and getting that in his final event last term in the Group One Dewhurst Stakes when a head second behind Chaldean over 7f.

Showing he stays that trip and arguably would get further, he made his seasonal debut in the Group One 2000 Guineas and was a staying on third when hitting all kinds of trouble in ground he does not like.

He will have to reverse the form with Hi Royal, but we believe if he gets a clear passage he is a better horse than him and hopefully at his peak he is the best in the field.

Form: 31523View

Date	Course	Distance	Type	Weight	Position
06/05/23	NMK	8	Sft	9-2	3
08/10/22	NMK	7	Gd	9-3	2
19/08/22	YOR	6	Gd	9-5	5
28/07/22	GOO	6	GF	9-2	1
14/06/22	ASC	6	GF	9-3	3

Aidan O'Brien always dominates this meeting and he sends another strong team to the Curragh on Saturday starting in the opener with Unquestionable and City Of Troy both looking like potentially smart outfits going forward.

In the Group Three Mable Hill Stakes he fields two again with it being very hard to split Democracy and His Majesty with both of them making taking debuts.

The feature event on Saturday is the Group One Irish 2000 Guineas O'Brien firing three bullets at the race with Paddington, Cairo and Age Of Kings all with chances especially the first mentioned Paddington.

In the Finlay Volvo Handicap over 7f and the Ballydoyle handler sends another three runners into the race with Carraci, Farnborough and Canute all eye-catching on handicap debut.

Finally, O'Brien has The Black Tiger in the lucky last with the colt showing very little but could improve for the better ground.

The champion jockey Colin Keane has a nice book of rides on Saturday at the Curragh starting in the 6f Maiden with Mr Saturday a good second on debut and can build on that in this one.

In the Group Three Marble Hill Stakes Keane rides Valiant Force who was a good second to His Majesty on debut and will be looking to go one better this time.

Keane then jumps on the tricky Twilight Jet who has shown obvious ability throughout his career and if on a going day could be tough to catch having serious speed.

The rider then teams up with Johnny Murtagh on Annerville who has put up two good thirds of late and will be hoping to hit the places again.

In the feature Group One Irish 2000 Guineas Keane teams up with Charlie Hills on board Galeron who was a good fourth in the English 2000 Guineas and can go well again here.

He then rides the top weighted Tough Talks in the 7f Handicap for retained trainer Ger Lyons and then for AJ Martin he rides Nibiru who has some decent form this term.

Finally, Keane rides Voice Of Reason who was third on debut over a mile behind the talented Cairo and if improving again could go well.