Curragh Saturday Preview - 22/07/23

The first selection of the afternoon at the Curragh on Saturday that we have a selection for is the Group Three Anglesey Stakes and Pearls And Rubies is unlucky not be 2/2 for her career.

Bounding onto the scene over 5f at Navan in June when beating the talented I Am Invictus by a neck, she then went to Royal Ascot up to 7f in the Listed Chesham Stakes and she finished a head second to the smart Snellen for Gavin Cromwell.

Dropping back 1/2 a furlong will suit and holding the best form in the field she is hard not to fancy with her sure to keep improving.

One of the trickier punting events of the afternoon from the Curragh is the big fielded Scurry Handicap over 6.5f and we are siding with Dandyville.

A very consistent type in big fielded handicap events landing back to back races to finish off 2022 at Dundalk over 6f, he has then been seen three times this season and kept up his good run of form.

Starting this term off in May over 6f at Navan in a 14 runner handicap he bought up the hat-trick in fine style by taking the event by just over two lengths.

Sent to the Curragh up 10lb for that win he ran no race at all, but putting that run behind him he was last seen finishing a nose second to Coumshinguan giving almost a stone away.

He takes on that rival again on better terms and although back up to a mark of 90, we are hoping he can stay on an upward curve this time.

Another nice event on the Curragh card is the Group Two Sapphire Stakes over 5f and the more rain that comes the better for White Lavender, who should go well.

A horse who does her best work on soft ground she finished off last season when finishing a head second on very soft ground at Longchamp in the Group One Prix de l'Abbaye behind The Platinum Queen giving over a stone away.

Returning this term at Bath when needing the run in the Listed Lansdown Stakes on ground still a bit sharp for her, she was then last seen on her preferred conditions at Longchamp where she got back to winning ways in the Group Three Prix de Saint-Georges over 5f.

If in the same form on soft ground she looks the value in the field at 6/1.

The feature race from the Curragh on Saturday is the Group One Irish Oaks and it looks hard to split the two Aidan O'Brien horses at the top of the market with Savethelastdance and Warm Heat both holding some serious form.

We are going with the former to get the job done with not much to split them but with Savethelastdance having a 20 day extra break she might just be fresher.

Seen just once as a juvenile when fifth of eight at Thurles over a mile in a Maiden, she was then put away for her three year old campaign.

Given her seasonal debut this term she made a huge impression at Leopardstown when stepped up to 1m2f and going on to beat stablemate Boogie Woogie by 2 1/4 lengths.

Boogie Woogie has since bolted up in a Fillies' Maiden at Naas and the third Azazat has also gone on to frank the form in a good way.

O'Brien then sent her to the Listed Cheshire Oaks at Chester and putting up arguably the performance of the season so far she went on to bolt up by 22 lengths, with her sectional times being outrageous.

She was last seen in the Epsom Oaks when going off the well backed 5/6 fav and she was narrowly beaten on quick ground by Soul Sister for John & Thady Gosden.

She looks a horse that needs cut in the ground and gets that again on Saturday and with Ryan Moore choosing her over Warm Heat, she just gets the nod.

A more chancey selection comes next in the Group Two Curragh Cup with the second string for Ballydoyle Gooloogong having bundles of untapped potential.

The least experienced runner in the field he has only been seen twice to date, making his debut as a juvenile over a mile when a good fifth behind the talented winner Bertinelli who has franked the form on numerous occasions this season.

Saved for this three year old campaign he has only been seen once this term when upped to 1m2f at Navan on heavy ground and he went on to score easily from Nation's Call, who himself has won since.

Not seen since March, he heads into this event fresher than most and having a very classy pedigree being a smart son of Australia he should get this extra distance and improve for doing so.

The soft ground will play to his strengths having been waiting for cut in the ground and he looks a very interesting character.

The final event of the afternoon at the Curragh we have a selection for is the 6f Nursery Handicap and excusing his last run, Prince X J for Michael O'Callaghan can go close off a mark of 85.

Needing his first two runs this season over 5f, finding the trip a bit too sharp, when stepped up to 6f at Fairyhouse on his third start he got off the mark in taking style beating a nice type for Aidan O'Brien in The Caribbean.

Last seen at Royal Ascot in the Group Two Coventry Stakes which is a race that has worked out already, going off as the outsider of the field at 200/1 he ran a fair race to finish just less than mid-field in 14th.

Now handicapping off a mark of 85 he looks more interesting in this sphere and worth another go.