Saturday racing preview: What the trainers say

2.00 Curragh Jebel Ali Racecourse And Stables Anglesey Stakes

Aidan O'Brien - Pearls And Rubies: “She was just a little bit green at Ascot, she was only after having her first run not long before it. She probably found everything a little bit new and she just got left out a bit on her own on the wing, but she did run well.”

3.00 Newbury bet365 Hackwood Stakes

Frankie Dettori - Lezoo: "She was a Group One winner last year and she’s owned by Marc Chan and Andrew Rosen, who are two good friends of mine. It is always extra nice when you ride for your friends. I think we can put a line through Ascot, she just didn’t turn up. She’s a Group One winner and a good filly, so let’s hope we can get her going back to winning ways.”

Michael Dods - Commanche Falls: “It’s obviously a tougher race than the one in Ireland, but it’s the only race there is for him really, so we’ll have to see how he gets on. He ran well at York before he won in Ireland, so hopefully he’s going there in good form.”

Adam Kirby - Rohhan: “His last run at Ascot was much more pleasing. He is moving well and hopefully he can show his hand on Saturday. He finished off well, but it was a very slowly-run race. We were just pleased he came home and was only beaten a couple of lengths. Any rain will do him no harm, but some of his best form is in top-flight races on good to firm, so we’ll see.”

3.10 Curragh Barberstown Castle Sapphire Stakes

Alastair Donald, racing manager for Art Power owners King Power Racing“Ideally we probably wouldn’t run him back a week later, but his record in Ireland is so good and this looks the perfect race for him. He hasn’t run over five furlongs for a while, but it’s a stiff finish and soft ground and it’s not like he’s short of pace. He should have a favourite’s chance.”

Ado McGuinness - Go Athletico: “He’s in great form and the ground will help. Unfortunately Ronan Whelan is suspended, but we’ve got a good deputy in Colin Keane. We’re very hopeful of a huge run. I know the Tim Easterby horse is back over, but he only ran last week in a Group One and our horse is fresh and well. We’re really looking forward to running him. I think our horse is even better than what he’s rated, hopefully he can prove it.”

3.15 Uttoxeter Unibet Summer Plate Handicap Chase

Peter Bowen - Francky Du Berlais & Courtland: “He’s had his prep run and everything’s gone fine, everything’s ready for him now. He’s won it twice and whether he can do it a third time, I don’t know, but he’s in great form anyway.“Sean (Bowen, son) rides him (Francky Du Berlais) and Gavin Sheehan will ride Courtland, he’s in good form and he’s up and coming so he could be well in.”

3.35 Newbury Weatherbys Super Sprint

William Haggas - Relief Rally: “She’s a good filly and she’s very well. She won’t mind any rain. I don’t know about the draw. She is drawn with Bobsleigh and away from Juniper Berries, but there’s not much we can do about that. She has a good chance.”

Eve Johnson Houghton - Juniper Berries & Bobsleigh: “I was absolutely thrilled with Juniper Berries in the Queen Mary – she ran a blinder – and fourth at Royal Ascot is quite a feather in your cap. Relief Rally is obviously the main danger but we have a huge weight turnaround, so I am hoping that will be enough to change the placings.

“Bobsleigh has come out of the Coventry in very good form, I am very happy with him. He ran a storming race (at Ascot, beaten three lengths by River Tiber), which has turned out to be very strong form. That (five furlongs) would be my main worry. He has won over five and a half, but he looks like he gets the six furlongs well. They normally go very fast in the Super Sprint, so I am hoping that he we will be picking them up at the end.”

Kieran Cotter - Son Of Corballis: “We actually would want quickish good ground. He won on quick ground twice and I’m hoping it doesn’t rain to be honest. The way I look at it, if Alabama was in the race, he’d be hot favourite after previously running well at Ascot (fifth in the Windsor Castle) on the wrong side of the track. We’ve beat him twice this year with two different horses. He’s a fair horse.

“Before he won, he’d been working really well and we really fancied him. But since then, he’s been really laid back in his work, he just couldn’t be bothered. He has gone very relaxed altogether. So, when we were going for the Listed sprint, we thought cheekpieces would be needed, as these sprints are won by short heads.

“He is one of these horses who just pulls it out on the day, which is good, as we’ve had too many horses who will fly up the gallops and then you go to the track and they let you down a bit. He’s drawn 13 and that was our one big worry. The lads were saying if he was drawn one or two, you might just turn round the box. If you’d have given me the 13 stall yesterday I would have taken it. He’ll jump and go and we’ll see how far he gets.”

Roger Teal - Rosario: “He did it nicely on his first day at school. It all went very nicely and hopefully he will have improved for that, so fingers crossed. He is owned by my wife and we think a bit of him. He’s got a good draw, but the only worry would be the rain that is supposed to come on Saturday. That could just mess us up a bit – he’s quite a good-moving horse and he wouldn’t want the ground too soft. Other than that, he’s pretty straightforward and he did the job nicely, so we’re looking forward to it. I’ve had bad draws all year, so it’s about time we got a good one. I don’t know what I’ve done right – they must have got my name mixed up in the computer somewhere!”

3.45 Curragh - Juddmonte Irish Oaks

Aidan O'Brien - Savethelastdance, Warm Heart, Be Happy and Library: "Obviously the two of them (Savethelastdance and Warm Heart) don’t work together, so it’s going to be interesting. There’s not much between them on the ratings, Savethelastdance is just a little higher.

“We always thought the Curragh would suit her better and the ground was quick enough in Epsom for her, so she’ll probably prefer a bit more of an ease on Saturday. She’s been in good form since and she’s had a nice break, too. Everything has gone well since (Epsom).

“We were delighted with Warm Heart in the Ribblesdale because we weren’t exactly sure about her over a mile and a half. Obviously she got it well and we’ve been happy with her since. She definitely improved at Ascot, whether it was the distance or whatever, but she definitely did improve.”

Barry Mahon (for owners Juddmonte) - Bluestocking: "On the formbook she has to improve, but she’s a lightly-raced filly with only three runs, so we feel that there could be some progression there. She’s met Warm Heart twice and been beaten twice so she has a bit to find, but she’s in good form, we feel that she’s learning on the job and we’re hopeful of a good run.

“We saw how green she was at Newbury and Frankie (Dettori) felt she was green at Ascot. She got stuck on the rail and when the gap came, she didn’t really know what to do to get through it, but then picked up and finished off well.

“We hope she’ll be a bit more streetwise on Saturday, the track should suit her, it’s not a big field and a bit easier ground should suit as well. We’re hopeful rather than confident.”

Chris Hayes (jockey) - Azazat: "She is a nice filly, who has progressed with every run. She has handled slow ground and she stays quite well. She is bred to possibly get further and I’m looking forward to her.

“She is very straightforward to ride, uncomplicated. That form with Rosscarbery (Munster Oaks winner), to come from a maiden and take on a filly like her with that kind of experience, I thought was a good run. Rosscarbery drifted out a little bit on top of her.

“I think she has come forward for that run and hopefully she can put up a good performance. She has handled soft ground and circumstance has just led us to run her that way."

4.15 Newmarket - Ric And Mary Hambro Aphrodite Fillies' Stakes

William Haggas - Truthful: "She is a work in progress and this is sort of the logical next step for her, and we will see whether she is up to it. We like her a lot, we think she’s a good stayer and I hope she will run a good race. There are not really any long-term targets,” he added. “When you are training a filly like that for Highclere, we will go nice and gently and see where we are with her. She can go anywhere if she is up to the task.”

4.20 Curragh - Comer Group International Curragh Cup

Aidan O'Brien - Emily Dickinson: “It looks a strong race. I think she stayed in the Gold Cup, I don’t think the trip was a problem. She likes an ease in the ground so she’ll appreciate that. She’s had a bit of an easy time since Ascot because we didn’t think the ground was going to be as it is, but we are letting her take her chance, obviously. The Irish Leger is definitely in the back of our minds for her.”

More from Sporting Life

• Racecards
• Fast results
• Full results and free video replays
• Horse racing news
• Horse racing tips
• Horse racing features
• Download our free iOS and Android app
• Football and other sports tips
• Podcasts and video content

Safer gambling

We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.

If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.

Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.