The Curragh hosts its first flat card of the season on Friday and in the first race of the day we are siding with a newcomer for Aidan O'Brien called Admiral Nelson.
The son of Kingman was bought for £440,000 and looks to have a very smart pedigree that also sees him be a half brother to a winner over seven furlongs.
The two year old is one of three youngsters having their first starts for the yard and we believe he can kick start his career in nice style.
| Date | Course | Distance | Type | Weight | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18/03/24 | NCS | 8 | St | 8-13 | 2 |
| 15/03/24 | NCS | 7 | St | 9-4 | 9 |
| 01/03/24 | NCS | 7 | St | 8-12 | 4 |
| 04/02/24 | NCS | 8 | St | 9-4 | 5 |
| 19/01/24 | NCS | 7 | St | 9-2 | 4 |
Jessica Harrington is one of the most inform trainer in Ireland at the moment with her horses starting the season in fine style.
She fields Flash Gordon in this six furlong event who for his age is fairly unexposed only racing for times and placing in three of those events.
He won nicely on debut in April last year over six furlongs and since then has placed twice in a seven furlong and another six furlong contests.
He flopped on his last outing but showing form on this type of ground should give him an each way shout with the yard flying.
| Date | Course | Distance | Type | Weight | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10/07/20 | CUR | 5.5 | Y | 9-9 | 8 |
| 27/06/20 | CUR | 7 | Gd | 9-9 | 4 |
| 20/06/20 | NAA | 5 | Gd/Y | 9-7 | 3 |
| 12/06/20 | CUR | 6 | GF | 10-0 | 14 |
| 29/06/19 | CUR | 6 | Gd | 9-0 | 10 |
Ex jockey and now Irish flat trainer, Johnny Murtagh has a very nice looking has a nice group of three year olds for the season ahead and Siamese looks one of his best.
The filly out of Kitten's Joy is owned by Qatar Racing and having been bought for €130,000 as a two year old they also think she can be a big player in the black type races this season.
On his debut start back in September she finished a bold fourth at Naas behind a nice type that is now with Donnacha O'Brien and prominent in the market for the 1000 Guineas.
She finished her two year old career with a win at Dundalk over seven furlongs, beating some of the same field she faces on Friday.
| Date | Course | Distance | Type | Weight | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26/06/20 | CUR | 8 | Gd | 8-12 | 2 |
| 12/06/20 | CUR | 7 | GF | 9-11 | 15 |
| 27/09/19 | DUN | 7 | St | 9-0 | 1 |
| 18/09/19 | NAA | 7 | Gd | 9-0 | 4 |
Coming towards the nitty gritty bit of the card at the Curragh and the Group Three Gallinule Stakes over 1 mile 2 furlongs sees a classy field go to post.
Mythical for Aidan O'Brien leads the line up and we think the three year colt looks the pick of the bunch if improving for exploits from last term.
The son of Derby and 2000 Guineas winner Camelot raced four time last year winning on his second start and then stepping up to a Group One over in France and finishing a decent third.
If fit and healthy he poses the strongest form in the field.
| Date | Course | Distance | Type | Weight | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 02/06/23 | DON | 12 | GF | 9-7 | 5 |
| 16/05/23 | WET | 10 | Gd | 9-0 | 4 |
| 03/05/23 | PON | 10 | Gd | 9-8 | 10 |
| 20/04/23 | RIP | 10 | Sft | 8-11 | 5 |
| 14/10/22 | NCS | 10 | St | 9-11 | 12 |
The race that every flat racing fan will be tuning into on Friday is the Irish 2000 Guineas and Aidan O'Brien has dominated this race over the last 10 years and we cant see that stopping.
He fields more than half the field in the black type even and the horse that we like is Vatican City that will be ridden by Padraig Beggy who has been known to land a big race during his career.
Vatican City is a full brother to the English & Irish 2000 Guineas winner Gleneagles and the recent market support suggests that he can get the better of the favourite Siskin.
Ger Lyons' market leader sets a high standard to aim at but he has to step up from 6f to 1m and he hasn't been seen since his behaviour in the Middle Park Stakes.
The penultimate race of the day is the Irish Lincolnshire over a mile and with 20 runners potentially going to post we have two selections.
Patrick Sarsfield for trainer Joseph O'Brien is a very unexposed gelding for his age, only racing four times and placing in all of those events, getting off the mark in fine style last time out at the Curragh.
In October the son of Australia won a 14 runner maiden but absolutely obliterated the field in doing so and improving on that will be very tough to be in the Irish Lincoln on Friday.
| Date | Course | Distance | Type | Weight | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26/07/22 | GAL | 8.5 | Gd/Y | 9-9 | 9 |
| 14/07/22 | LEO | 9 | Gd | 9-9 | 3 |
| 02/06/22 | LEO | 9 | Gd | 9-9 | 6 |
| 08/05/22 | LEO | 8 | Gd | 9-9 | 3 |
| 27/03/22 | NAA | 10 | Y | 9-7 | 4 |
We have another each way selection in the contest and that sees us side with Jessica Harrington again, this time with her horse Njord.
The four year old enters the contest seeking a hat-trick having landed back to back wins over course and distance at the Curragh and also at Galway.
A mile seems to be his preferred trip and although six pounds from his latest win for his seasonal debut we believe he is a very progressive horse that looks a very nice each way price.
| Date | Course | Distance | Type | Weight | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16/10/21 | ASC | 8 | GS | 9-4 | 6 |
| 03/10/21 | LON | 7 | Hy | 9-2 | 11 |
| 11/09/21 | LEO | 8 | Gd | 9-10 | 4 |
| 14/08/21 | NBY | 7 | Gd | 9-6 | 3 |
| 27/07/21 | GAL | 8.5 | Sft | 10-0 | 8 |
The final event of the afternoon on Friday sees the Group Two Mooresbridge Stakes and with a stellar field going to post it looks set to be a cracker.
Dermot Weld fields four year old filly Search For A Song who was magnificent last term winning back to back contests to round off her season.
She scored at York in the Listed Galtres Stakes and backed that up in the Irish St Leger at the Curragh to land her first Group One.
Although this trip is shorter than what she normally goes over, she oozes class and can make that count on ground that will suit.
| Date | Course | Distance | Type | Weight | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11/09/22 | CUR | 14 | Y | 9-8 | 3 |
| 13/08/22 | CUR | 14 | Gd | 9-6 | 2 |
| 26/05/22 | LON | 15.5 | Sft | 8-10 | 7 |
| 13/05/22 | YOR | 14 | Gd | 9-0 | 4 |
| 23/04/22 | NAV | 14 | Gd | 9-4 | 2 |
