Fran Berry column ahead of Kerrygold Irish Oaks weekend at the Curragh

Fleeting chance better than you think

Surprisingly there’s only been a couple of home-trained winners of the Kerrygold Irish Oaks in the last decade, but this year’s edition may be dominated by the locals.

Iridessa is a worthy favourite on recent form and don’t forget she was a Group One winner at two. She was good and solid in the Pretty Polly and on pedigree there’s every chance she could improve again for more of a stamina test now.

Pink Dogwood has to bounce back from her run in the Pretty Polly where she didn’t handle the fast ground at all well.

She moved through the Investec Oaks so well at Epsom that you’d have thought the more conventional course at the Curragh would have suited, but she was disappointing on the day. Moving back to a mile and a half may help but she’s something to prove.

I’d definitely give a mention to Dermot Weld’s Search For A Song, who probably did too much too soon last time when second to Trethias at Naas. She’s a daughter of Galileo and the step up to 12 furlongs is obviously expected to appreciate the greater test of stamina.

If Chris Hayes can get a lead and wait with her a bit I can see you staying on but the value of the race has to be Pink Dogwood’s stablemate Fleeting.

She was a Group Two winner last year and has definitely improved at three, proving her Oaks third to be no fluke when second in the Ribblesdale. She was denied a clear run on a couple of occasions and I do feel she is fractionally better than she was able to show on the day.

Ribblesdale winner Star Catcher has to be respected for John Gosden as she was strong at the finish when winning at Royal Ascot and she remains open to improvement herself.

Ralph Beckett saddles two and you’d think Antonia De Vega would need the rain to arrive as she looks ground-dependant, while Manuela De Vega ran well when fourth in the Oaks but possibly lacks a change of gear in this company and may be one for mile and six races a little later on in the year.

Make Hey while sun shines

The Paddy Power Minstrel Stakes carries Group Two status and it looks a good fit for Hey Gaman, who is very effective over this seven furlong trip.

He’s in excellent form after wins at Leicester and Longchamp and if you go back to last May he was beaten a neck in the French Guineas.

He won’t mind if the ground eases at all and he’s already won for Frankie Dettori, who was great value in and out of the saddle at Kilarney on Wednesday night. He didn’t quite get a winner on the board but gave a couple of horses two fine rides in second and he’s evidently right at the top of his game still.

It’s great to see him in Ireland again this weekend.

Safe Voyage is another who will obviously want a spot of rain to show his best. He’s on an upward curve and John Quinn has done well with his Irish challengers down the years including this horse who won at Galway in the past.

He’s the main danger to Hey Gaman, with the highest-rated horse in the field, Romanised, not guaranteed to be suited by dropping back to seven furlongs. He travelled well in the Queen Anne and didn’t get the best of runs there, but his recent effort suggest he might even be better over an extra furlong or two, rather than dropping to seven.

At the other end of the spectrum, Mr Lupton might have one or two questions marks over him getting quite this far.

Handicap duo not to be missed

It’s not all Group-race action all the way and I’d have to nominate Ice Cold In Alex as my strongest fancy of the weekend in the Tote Scurry Handicap.

He just loved the Curragh and won a five furlong handicap here two summers ago. They’ve tried to stretch him out trip-wise and he did well last year too, winning twice at seven furlongs, but his two runs this year suggest he could be even better dropping back slightly now.

An unlucky second last time followed an eye-catching comeback run at Gowran and although he’s gone up another couple of pounds in the weights, he’s one to follow under a low weight in this field.

Intisaab won the race last year and he could be popular again with Frankie taking the reins this weekend.

But Ice Cold In Alex is the one and I’d be tempted to double him up with Royal Illusion in the Kildare Village Ladies Derby Handicap.

Willie Mullins’ mare is a pretty obvious one in truth and might not be much of a price but she looks potentially thrown in stepping into handicaps from a mark of 82. She won two bumpers and is two from three on the Flat this year. I’d be surprised if she didn’t have a fair bit in hand.

Sunday stars

Two Group Twos very much take centre-stage on Sunday’s Curragh card and Move Swiftly is going to be very hard to beat in the Kilboy Estate Stakes.

She was primed for Royal Ascot and put up a superb performance under Danny Tudhope.

She’s got the penalty here and has to concede a fair chunk of weight all round but she looks classy and is well clear on the figures.

There should be more value to be had in the Firarstown Stud Sapphire Stakes, where I’ll be giving Equilateral another chance.

He didn’t run a bad race at all on ground easier than he’d like when beaten just six lengths by Blue Point in the King’s Stand and his previous neck second to Mabs Cross was a super run.

Hopefully the ground remains on the good side for him as the shape of the race could be set up perfectly with speedballs El Astronaute, Caspian Prince and Soldier’s Call in there. It’ll be fast and furious and that should play into the hands of Charlie Hills’ horse.

Two for the tracker

The Sporting Life My Stable horse tracker is free to use and it could be worth adding a couple from the same Killarney race from midweek.

Sharp Focus – winner of the Grand Hotel Killarney Handicap – did extremely well to overcome a significant drop in distance to get the job done, while the sixth, Nam, for his eye-catching run after a really slow start.

He should be winning again soon as he’s seemingly benefited from being gelded earlier in the campaign.

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