Our Irish racing expert Tony Keenan previews Saturday's card at the Curragh and he has one selection.
Irish racing tips: Saturday August 22
1pt win Florida Bay in the Curragh 15:25 at 9/2 (General)
Of the four Summer Series meetings at the Curragh in August, today might be the most relevant for Irish Champions Festival pointers, as the two big trials over course and distance for the juvenile Group 1s at that meeting take place.
The first is the Alpha Centauri Debutante Stakes at 14:50, an all-O’Brien family contest. Alpha would be a fitting winner, out of the mare named in the race title, and looked an ideal type for the race when winning by six lengths over track and trip in June.
She was not as impressive last time in the Silver Flash, however, awkward at the stalls and forced into a making a big mid-race move as a pacemaker set a strong gallop, her head carriage unappealing in a finish when she just held on. That pacemaker finished closer than one would like, and Alpha looked to have a hard race.
Green Empress is preferred, for all her price about right. Her first run looked all about education as she needed to settle, but she shaped well to finish second to Sun Goddess. That gap that day was five lengths, but she narrowed it three-quarters of a length next time in the Airlie Stud and could even have won, coming from further back than ideal and needing to be switched for a run.
It is possible she did not face a full throttle version of Sun Goddess then, that filly backing up soon after Royal Ascot, but the form has been boosted since and Green Empress herself is open to plenty of improvement, though a 56-day break is a little worry.
There is a broader spread of trainers in the Coolmore Stud City Of Troy Tom Cooper Irish EBF Futurity Stakes at 15:25, though a couple of the fancied ones are coming off breaks and may need the run a little, Nola Soul a keen sort that could do with setline here.
Perhaps the best piece of form belongs to FLORIDA BAY, and it is recent too. He got the run of the race in the Tyros last time but was still impressive in victory and that win was backed up by a good Timeform timefigure. He beat Folsom Blues who looks better over seven furlongs, and that horse had the ability finish second in the Phoenix Stakes next time dropped in trip.
It is easy to forgive his previous defeat at Naas as he got involved in a pace battle and looked stretched by the mile trip, while he is closely matched with Nola Soul on their maiden form when he shaped as if there was improvement to come. That he is a second string is a concern, but that does seem overly factored into his price.
The Comer Group International Irish St. Leger Trial Stakes (16:35) looks stronger now that Carmers redirects from York. He is the one to beat, though Leinster may outrun his odds in a bid to win the race for the second time and he tends to go well here.
There are several competitive handicaps throughout the card. Go Athletico and Gotta Catch’em All are in-form types in the Mitsubishi Electric Handicap at 2:15, while Moltophino might be in better order than his recent figures suggest, stretched by the trip in the Scurry and drawn badly last time.
Railwayview Lady is an intriguing runner in the Neville O'Byrne Memorial Irish EBF Fillies & Mares Handicap (16:00). She was an eye-catcher in a premier handicap here during Guineas weekend, finishing well having been suited by neither the 10-furlong trip nor the steady pace.
She disappointing next time but is four pounds lower than that initial run at the track and has joined a yard that has hit form all of a sudden. Vanir and Nellcote are ones with more obvious claims.
Acula was promising amidst greenness on debut at Naas and has a strong chance in the Moloney's Bar and Music Venue Maiden at 13:40. It is in her price, however, and Lord Darragh may outrun his odds. He improved a chunk from first to second start and may do so again, up in trip and returned to a galloping track.
He had his first start here over Derby weekend when slow away and racing in rear before finishing sixth. Very green, he kept on late and looked in need of a stiffer test, putting in the second-best final furlong split after the big eye-catcher in second. Several winners have come from the first eight of that race since.
Again sent off a big price next time at Gowran, he shaped as if needing a stiffer test, coming from a bit further back that the others involved in the finish on a day when there was a massive front-end bias at play.
Preview posted at 08:10 BST on 22/08/26
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