Tony Keenan guides you through today's action on day two of Irish Champions Weekend at the Curragh.
Irish racing tips: Sunday September 13
1pt win Green Empress in 14:50 the Curragh at 11/4 (General)
The action on day two of Irish Champions Festival moves to the Curragh where the ground will be a little slower than yesterday at Leopardstown, conditions turning out to be surprisingly fast. Four Group 1s make up half of the card, the two for older horses contrasting contests.
The final classic of the year in Ireland, Comer Group International Irish St. Leger at 16:35, has drawn just seven runners and should be a formality for serial winner Scandinavia, whereas there are 18 in the BAR 1 Betting Flying Five Stakes at 15:25 which looks typical of Group 1 sprints this season.
Most of the Irish runners in the Flying Five are expected to struggle, the exception being Comanche Brave. He travelled strongly when winning the July Cup last time so may be able to cope with the drop in trip though the slower ground is an unknown with him.
Many of the British horses hold similar claims, and it could be a case of who gets the hop of the ball on the day as it has been all season, with Cover Up perhaps the one that is overpriced today.
He has done well over five furlongs since joining this yard, including winning the Sapphire over course and distance in July, and while that form has not worked out, he has several other good efforts in his back catalogue. It is easy to excuse his run in the Nunthorpe last time when he met trouble at a track that would emphasise speed more than he would like.
The two juvenile Group 1s over seven furlongs are probably the most interesting races on the card. Sun Goddess heads the market in the Moyglare Stud Stakes at 14:50 and has looked good the last twice but GREEN EMPRESS shaped at least as well when a closing second to the market leader in the Airlie Stud here in June, conceding first run.
Sun Goddess has likely improved since then, but so has Green Empress, returning from a short break and a minor setback to win the Debutante last time with much more in hand than the bare margin, travelling strongly but only getting a gap late to lead on the line. Her trainer is of the view that she will come forward again for that run, while she is more proven at the trip than Sun Goddess, and I would have them closer in the betting.
In the Goffs Vincent O'Brien National Stakes at 16:00, the unexposed horses look underpriced. Monogram was brilliant on debut last month, but he was slow at the stalls and green, so this is a big ask 22 days later, while the form of the Futurity Stakes won by Giant Sequoia took a couple of knocks in the Golden Fleece yesterday.
It has already been a good weekend for supplemented horses, and Haffner is another of those. He looks overpriced and this track should suit his grinding style a lot better than the ones he has raced at lately while the form of his Acomb win has been boosted.
Folsom Blues is another that looks value with this step up in trip sure to suit while he is also proven on slower ground.
Continental Group 1 form was to the fore in the Irish Champion Stakes yesterday, and that result provided a significant boost to the claims of Timeforshowcasing in the Moyglare ''Jewels'' Blandford Stakes at 17:10.
She has put up the two best efforts of her career since stepping up to 10 furlongs and split Hotazhell and Wimbledon Hawkeye in Munich on her penultimate start before backing it up next time at Deauville.
Thundering On has a higher ceiling but carries a penalty, is off a break and may prefer further, and while others have potential, Timeforshowcasing looks the solid one.
The premier handicaps that top and tail the card look difficult. Bear On The Run is the least exposed in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Bold Lad Sprint Handicap at 13:45 and looks well-treated after impressing over course and distance last time, the runner-up winning next time too. The ground is an unknown with him, however,
I am unconvinced by those currently at the head of the betting in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Northfields Handicap at 17:45, and Kai Lung looks overpriced at the bottom of the weights. He has not been getting home over hurdles, but the drop in trip to Galway Mile was too extreme for his flat debut for this yard.
He did shape as if 10 furlongs would suit then, finishing well from a poor position, and brings an unexposed profile into the race.
Preview posted 0830 BST on 13/09/2026
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