Fran Berry reveals the five horses on his shortlist for the Tote Irish Cambridgeshire at the Curragh on Saturday before talking through other points of interest on the card.
HARDY WARRIOR
No surprises we start with Joseph O’Brien. His brilliant season could get even better on Saturday with Hardy Warrior the likely favourite in the Tote Irish Cambridgeshire (16:15 Curragh, Saturday).
He ran in Group 1 company last year when fourth to Puerto Rico at Saint-Cloud and on the back of a cracking effort in Listed company last time, where he had a wide trip on a speed and rail-favouring track at Killarney, it was a very good effort and he bids to become the second three-year-old in three years to win this prestigious handicap.
Given the stable form and how well he ran last time, you can see why he heads the betting.
HELLORHIGHWATER
From an unexposed three-year-old to an unexposed four-year-old, and with up to 25mm of forecast rain looming conditions could turn in the favour of Hellorhighwater, now in the care of Natalia Lupini.
He won on stable debut on yielding ground at Limerick in April and that race has subsequently worked out well. With his previous form for Gavin Cromwell also being strong, this four-year-old, with just four starts under his belt, looks a huge player if the forecast rain does arrive. He looks of obvious interest in the lower half of the weights.
There’s every chance connections have been waiting for cut in the ground for this individual and if I was backing one from my shortlist now it would be this one at around 10/1.
PIERRE ROYAL
Ado McGuinness has a good record in this type of race and Pierre Royal is a course and distance winner who ran two superb races at the Galway Festival.
He will be better suited to a more conventional track here and he merits respect for all that he looks to have been well found in the betting also.
CHARLES FORT
For all that he got bumped up 13lb for finishing second to A Boy Named Susie last time we have to give a mention to Aidan O’Brien’s Charles Fort.
He won his Cork maiden by four lengths on yielding to soft ground and the combination of the softening conditions and dropping back to a mile could suit him well.
RAHMI
If there’s one that’s of interest coming down the weights it’s Johnny Murtagh’s Rahmi.
He ran a very good sixth on Champions Day at Ascot last year when beaten just over four lengths in the soft ground at Ascot from a huge rating of 112 and while that number was too big for him he’s now rated 97 which is more like it.
Not fancied all year, he’s probably been trained for Irish Champions Weekend where he won last year, but he ran much better in second at Gowran last time and if he turns up in this with conditions in his favour he looks a player.
Rest of the card
Away from the feature handicap there’s some highly competitive Group action including the Heider Family Stables Round Tower Stakes over six furlongs.
Great Barrier Reef would be of obvious interest here should he turn up, but he has missed engagements since he won the Coventry and it remains to be seen if he runs.
Either way, Joseph O’Brien’s Alwaysanangel could be the one to be on.
The form of her third to Senorita Bonita and Libertango in the Duchess of Cambridge could hardly have worked out any better and she could do her bit for the race here.
It’s a hot piece of juvenile form and she looks the one to beat.
In the Group 3 Newtownanner Stud Irish EBF Stakes over a mile Samnina looks of interest for Jessica Harrington.
Fourth on debut to Alpha here at the Curragh, she subsequently beat Madam Secretary at Galway and if the rain arrives this Sea The Moon filly can improve again.
Outside of the Group action, Albany County looks of interest in the opening maiden for Aidan O’Brien, he could be banker material, while Caffu Zafeen ran much better than his finishing position suggests from stall one at the Curragh last week.
If he runs in the penultimate apprentice handicap he can go well if given a kind draw.
And finally, please support the Pat Smullen Cancer Trials Ireland Charity Race, Supported by Ballylinch Stud, which closes the card over 1m4f.
This is a very important fundraiser for Cancer Trials Ireland, both the race itself and the charity cycle which culminates at the Curragh racecourse.
It always adds a feelgood factor to the day and if you’re lucky enough to hit a winner on Saturday please consider supporting the charity, details of which can be found here.
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