There is some quality action from the Curragh later and our Irish expert Tony Keenan has an each-way fancy on the card.
Irish racing tips: Wednesday June 3
0.5pts e.w. Granite Bay in 19:20 the Curragh at 17/2 (bet365 1/5 1,2,3,4) - General 15/2
The Curragh has already had a significant ground change ahead of this evening, going that was mainly good to firm at declarations turning to good to yielding yesterday, and with more rain to come during the day, it can be expected to soften further.
Non-runners during the day seem likely, but one horse it should suit is GRANITE BAY in the Sky Bet Race To The Ebor Handicap at 19:20. Not only does he handle soft ground well, it should also bring his stamina into play, something that has not always been the case.
The selection has been consistent since going handicapping, mainly contesting races around a mile-and-a-half, and finished a fine second to handicap blot Starford at Listowel last September, that one now 21lbs higher.
He backed that up with a fourth in a two-mile premier handicap at Naas and while the step up in trip looked to suit, it was a steadily run race where few got involved from off the pace and he looked in need of a stiffer test.
Dropped back in distance the last twice, he has run well while keeping on late, again leaving the impression stamina is his forte and this should be run at a decent gallop with the likes of Perry Mason and Holy See in the field. The likes of Yulia and Poetic Sound, both proven on slow ground, have decent claims too.
The other premier handicap at 18:45, sponsored by Sky Bet Price Boosts, is tougher to sort. Ipanema Queen could be on a decent mark in her first handicap, but the ground is a worry. Allsortz is in good form, handles the ground and stays a little further so should be thereabouts while Real Encounter might be better than she showed last time when she hit ridges at Naas.
The Sky Bet Build A Bet Handicap at 20:25 looks difficult, albeit that some may not be suited by the ground, but the Sky Bet Extra Places Handicap (16:40) has one interesting runner in Amerilis. She moved from Paddy Twomey to Gillian Scott before the start of this season and given the connection between the two yards via Billy Lee, it is likely there are races to be won with her.
Three horses have made the move before, two of them winning at their level, and Amerilis has shown enough to suggest she has a handicap in her off this mark. On her first start for Scott at this track in March, she was a bit awkward at the stalls and was keen initially with no cover, slotting in thereafter and keeping on well into fourth late, doing best of those held up.
Her next start came off a short break and was also at the Curragh where she shaped a bit better than her ninth in a handicap against older rivals, always caught out on the wing of the field towards the middle of the track and doing a bit too much too soon. That experience should bring her on as she returns to her own age group, and she can go well though it is in the price.
The TRI Equestrian Maiden at 17:10 is another interesting race. Slow ground is a worry for The Piper’s Call given he has been taken out for unsuitable ground twice already this season, and Tide Of Fortune looks a bit overpriced after a promise debut here last time.
A minor gamble on the show, he dwelt a little and raced in the rear of mid-division, forced to make his move furthest off the rail and doing well to latch on to the group that pulled clear of the rest, albeit finishing last of those eight. Improvement can be expected for that run, not least at the stalls.
Contrary To Law is another that shaped well here last time, though he has been off the track for 80 days and the form of that last run is not working out, while Quinta Girl should be suited by getting back on slower ground.
Preview published at 08:44 BST on 03/06/26
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