Betfair ambassador Joseph O'Brien: Weekend runners

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Saturday Runners

Curragh 13:45 – Canters Well

Canters Well is a well-bred son of the exciting Caravaggio that was gelded before he arrived to us. He’s been showing his share of ability at home and is ready to start off, but like all of our two-year-olds, I’d expect him to need the experience and be sharper for his second start.

Curragh 14:15 – Sangria

Sangria is a gorgeous filly that never got much room on her debut at Naas. She’s a lot better than she was able to show there and while this is obviously a big step up in class, I’ll be hoping that she takes a good step forward from her debut.

Curragh 14:45 – Speak In Colours

Speak In Colours has a great record at the Curragh, but has yet to hit top form this season. There was encouragement in his latest start and he’ll handle this ground better than most, but he’ll need to bounce back to something like his best if he’s to win.

Curragh 16:25 – Boyne River and Sheer Chance

Boyne River made a solid return to action in a maiden at Naas last weekend. That run should bring her forward and while this is a competitive handicap, she has always worked like one that could end up rated higher than she currently is.

Sheer Chance made an encouraging comeback at Leopardstown last month. Not much went right for her on the day and she still wasn’t beaten that far. She won’t want the ground to get too soft, but I could see her running well off bottom weight.

Curragh 17:00 – Summer Sands

Summer Sands has been a work in progress since he arrived to us, but we hope he will soon turn the corner. He ran well enough on his return to action at this track back in March and I’d be hopeful that he will come forward a fair bit from that. It wouldn’t surprise to see him run well.

Curragh 17:30 – Liffey River

Liffey River is a horse that really enjoys a cut in the ground and while this trip may be on the sharp side, it should be a sufficient test for him in these conditions. He’ll come on from his comeback run last month and I could see him running well.

York 14:40 – Mighty Blue

Mighty Blue has been a brilliant mare for us and it was great to see her win her first stakes race in a Listed contest at Gowran Park last time. She was impressive on the day and looked better than ever. This course, distance and ground should all suit her and this is the logical next step for her. It is a stronger race, but she is entitled to go close.

Sunday Runners

Curragh 13:30 – Agartha

Agartha is a filly by Caravaggio out of Arya Tara who was our first stakes winner after I took out my license five years ago. She shows plenty of ability at home, though I can see her being better at seven furlongs than six furlongs. She will improve on whatever she does and we’ll be hoping that she shapes with promise.

Curragh 14:05 – Snapraeterea, Vafortino and Max Mayhem

Snapraeterea gained a well-deserved Listed win in the Owenstown Stud Stakes at Naas last weekend. He was really game there and is a very likeable horse. He loves testing ground and enjoys making the running. He is unproven over this longer trip, but I’m hopeful that he’ll stay.

Vafortino won twice last year and made an encouraging return to action at Gowran Park last time where the lack of a run just caught him out in the closing stages. He’s unproven over this trip, but he’s bred to get it and as long as he relaxes, he shouldn’t have any issue with it. He handles soft ground well.

Max Mayhem was impressive when making it third-time lucky in a winner’s race at Roscommon last time. He stays well, enjoys soft ground and is open to more improvement. He should be up to competing at this level.

Curragh 15:15 – Pretty Gorgeous, Sense Of Style and Thinking Of You

Pretty Gorgeous is obviously one of our most exciting prospects for the season having won the Fillies Mile at Newmarket last season. She just wasn’t quite right prior to the 1000 Guineas, so we played it safe with her and didn’t run. Given how firm the ground was, missing it might have been a blessing in disguise. We know from last year that she handles soft ground well and we’ve been very happy with her in the last couple of weeks. She looks in great order now and will hopefully produce a big effort. Her juvenile form entitles her to be right in the mix, so hopefully she runs a big one.

Sense Of Style has been unlucky not to win a stakes race as of yet. She has shaped better than the result in both her starts this season and proved last year that she handles soft ground. She’ll probably be a big price, but it wouldn’t be a shock to me if she ran well.

Thinking Of You is another one that has a bit to find on the form book, but has shaped well in her two starts this season and handles soft ground. We’ll let her take her chance and see how she gets on.

Curragh 15:50 – Dance Jupiter, Dancing Approach and Bright Idea

Dance Jupiter is a lovely horse that shaped with promise on his return to action at the Curragh a month ago. We’ve had this race in mind for him since and he’s one that will love the testing ground. He’s unexposed at this trip and I’d be hopeful that there will be more improvement to come from him.

Dancing Approach impressed us when making a winning start for us at Leopardstown last month, but was a little bit disappointing in a messy race back at that track last time. Dropping back to a mile-and-a-quarter shouldn’t be a problem and she won on soft ground when trained in England.

Bright Idea made a winning return from a long absence in a maiden at Killarney last time and while he only won narrowly, I’m expecting him to improve from that run. This longer trip looks to be what he wants and his form with Champers Elysees from last year reads well. He looks to have a big chance.

Curragh 16:20 – Visualisation, Fame And Acclaim and Rocket Science

Visualisation has improved a fair bit on turf this season and ran well behind Khartoum at Naas last week. He might have more improvement in him and the ground conditions shouldn’t be a problem for him.

Fame And Acclaim deserves to win a big handicap and has been knocking on the door in them this season. He handles testing ground and should be on the premises again.

Rocket Science is a filly that joined us earlier this year and has been working well. She wasn’t far off getting black type last season and looks to be off a fair mark. She hasn’t run over as far as a mile before, but we think it will suit her.

Curragh 16:55 – Draconid and Celestial Horizon

Draconid has run well in both his starts and shapes as though this longer trip will suit. This doesn’t look a strong maiden amongst those that have run, but there are a few well-connected newcomers that would be a danger to all if they are useful.

Celestial Horizon was well held on his debut and would be difficult to make a case for here.

Curragh 17:30 – King’s Vow

King’s Vow has done most of his winning on the all-weather, but he handles testing ground and has run well in similar races to this off higher marks, so he wouldn’t be one to totally rule out.

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