Johnny Murtagh column: Saturday and Sunday runners
Our columnist on his runners at Leopardstown and Naas this weekend, plus Raadobarg's Queen Elizabeth II Stakes bid.
Saturday runners
Leopardstown
Esquiline & Hazalaya - 13:30
They're two nice fillies. I wouldn't think there's much between them at home and whatever they do I think they'll improve a nice bit on it. We might try to get one more run into them before the end of the year
High Court Judge & Sharlouk - 14:05
High Court Judge has been very disappointing. I thought he was a really nice horse at the start of the year but for some reason he's run terribly on his first two starts. His homework is good and if he can reproduce that at the track he'll leave his form well behind him.
Sharlouk is a nice horse by Zoustar and is making his first start. He's done plenty of work but I think he'll come on a good bit for it. He's a horse we like going forward.
Tiymara - 14:35
Luckily she came out of the race at Listowel [where she clipped heels and came down] really well. I think 80 is a nice mark and we're putting Jamie Powell on to claim 7lb. This looks like a competitive nursery but she's not without a chance.
Trueba - 15:10
Michael [Beresford] is working hard here. He hasn't had many rides this year but he got a good tune out of Trueba last time when we put the visor on. Trueba will appreciate the ground and if Michael can keep him in touch early - seven furlongs is probably on the short side for him now - he'll give him a good ride. It would be great if he could get involved again.
Bossy Parker, Daamberdiplomat & Bay of Plenty - 15:45
Ben [Coen] is riding Bossy Parker. He ran very well in the Goffs Million at the Curragh, goes through the soft ground well and I think seven furlongs around Leopardstown will suit him.
I was expecting a bit better from Daamberdiplomat the last twice but he's very fresh at home and very well, and we thought we'd give him one more run just to see as he's not producing on the track what he's showing at home. It wouldn't be a huge surprise if he ran really well.
Bay of Plenty went to York last week. We thought he had improved since Naas but he was a bit disappointing so we're going to get him out quickly again. This is the last weekend [in Ireland] where there's Group action for these two-year-olds so we'll see where he fits in the whole scheme of things. It wouldn't surprise me if he left last week's run well behind him.
Annerville, Kerkiyra and Lyrical Poetry - 16:20
Ben [Coen] rides Kerkiyra but it wasn't an easy decision as our three fillies are going very well. Kerkiyra won a handicap and it's her first time in stakes company so she has to improve a little on the ratings, but we think she's coming on all the time and she's a filly we've always liked.
Shane Kelly is riding Annerville and I thought she ran very well last time out in Dundalk. She won her maiden at Leopardstown - she kind of likes those big, galloping tracks. She's in good form and she has been placed in a listed race. I think the good ground is important for her.
Lyrical Poetry probably has the best form of our three and is in very good form. It was a tough choice for Ben but he went with Kerkiyra and Shane Foley rides Lyrical Poetry. She's a filly we like. She's got a high cruising speed and we'll let her stride along and use that powerful stride. There's not much between our three but on ratings Lyrical Poetry probably has the best chance.
Safecracker and Flying Dolphin - 17:30
Flying Dolphin might not have liked the track at Listowel last time. He's been in great form since the race, moving well, and Shane Kelly rode work on him the other day and was very happy.
Ben sticks with Safecracker who has been very consistent all year and I think a mile and a half around Leopardstown should suit him really well. They're holding their form well and I'm hoping one can put their head in front.
Ascot
Raadobarg - 15:20
He's a horse who loves soft ground so it was always the plan to go easier on him in the summer and wait for the softer ground. It's a big ask, he has a good few pounds to make up on the ratings, but if the rain came and it ended up really on the soft side then a couple of horses might not handle it but he would. He's been in great form since his run in Paris two weeks ago. It's a big ask but it's great to have a runner on these big days.
Champion Stakes views - 16:00
It's a great draw for Jim Crowley on Baaeed [in stall 1] as you don't want to be wide around Ascot. All the dangers are going to be in front of you and you are going to need a bit of luck when you turn in, but he's a horse with loads of gears. I think he'll have enough pace to outsprint them. He's running against a Derby winner in Adayar and probably faces his toughest task but going a mile and a quarter seemed to bring out more improvement in him at York and he'll be very hard to beat.
Sunday runners
Naas
Mere Accountant & Starnight - 13:10
Mere Accountant is a nice filly starting off. We tried to run a couple of weeks ago but she just had a dirty scope, but everything has gone smoothly since. She's in good form but six furlongs is probably on the short side - she will get seven in time. It's nice to have a runner for Michael O'Flynn.
Starnight is a Fast Company filly and she won't mind soft ground. She was ready to run earlier in the year but picked up a little niggle and it's taken us a bit of time to get her back. She's done plenty of work and I'm keen to get her out as I think she's a hardy type that will improve with a bit of racing.
Esculenta, Maristella & Miss Mirabell - 14:55
We're all trying to get that little bit of important black type. Esculenta has it all to do on the ratings but is a filly that always works well and we decided to let her take her chance. She's still a maiden but she's a good maiden.
Miss Mirabell will love the [softish] ground and I've put blinkers on her as she's a bit slow to learn and it's taken a bit of time for the penny to drop. I think dropping back to a mile will suit her.
Ben [Coen] had to stick with Maristella as she's won her last two races and, although they were handicaps, she seems to be improving. A mile at Naas should suit her really well.
One For Bobby - 15:30
We were unsure about the distance but I wanted to give her one shot at a mile and a half to see. The only bad run she had this year was at Naas for some reason, but she's been Group-placed and if she could win a Listed race it would be very important for her. If she gets the mile and a half I think she'll be bang there.
Alabama Pearl - 16:40
She ran well [when runner-up] at Down Royal. I fancied her going there and was a bit disappointed, but I heard Noel Meade's filly was very good and she's going to run earlier in the day in the big two-year-old race so that should give us a pointer to the form. Alabama Pearl has been in good form since the race, dropping back to six furlongs won't be a problem and Ben [Coen] was keen to put cheekpieces on her just to help her along. She's a nice filly who was been very consistent and deserves her chance.
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