2.10pm Curragh - Group 3 Jebel Ali Racecourse And Stables Anglesey Stakes
This looks to be a pretty decent contest that in the long run might show some decent form, and with that firmly in mind I am looking at siding with a horse who is very unexposed with just the one career run to date.
Babouche for Ger Lyons and Colin Keane was an impressive winner on debut when landing a fillies’ maiden race by a cool five lengths, and the manner in which she went about her work suggests to me that she very much has some black type in there.
She is not your usual Juddmonte-bred filly, but she is nicely bred and was clearly expected to win on her debut as she was sent off as the evens market leader, and it was more than clear to see why there was plenty of confidence behind her that day.
She broke well, led the far side group for the majority of the contest before leading overall with a furlong to go, pulling further and further clear in the closing stages to win pretty easily. The form of that race is yet to be franked, but she dominated that field and was clearly the best filly out there.
This is the best starting place for her, and perfect for us to gauge where she is at currently, and I am excited to see how she gets on in this Group 3 contest at the Curragh on Sunday.
- Selection - Babouche (11/4 Win)
3.15pm Curragh - Group 2 Romanised Minstrel Stakes
It looks interesting that Karl Burke has given Poet Master a 71-day break after two quickfire outings, and the fact he has sent him over for this Group 2 contest at the Curragh on Sunday. As we know, whenever Karl sends a horse over to Ireland, especially at the Curragh, we have to take it very seriously, as Fallen Angel has proved over the last season or so.
Poet Master showed why he was kept in training as a four-year-old when landing a Newmarket handicap by a length, keeping on well in the closing stages, and although he did slightly disappoint behind Shartash in a Listed contest at Haydock last time, that might have come a little too soon for him.
Considering he is a four-year-old, he has only had six career runs, so is clearly very talented but has his issues and is a hard one to get right. However, his strike record when he is ok and ready to go is pretty strong, with four wins under his belt, therefore no matter where he turns up he has to be taken very seriously.
Before that slight blip last time, he was seemingly on an upward curve and still looked to have some improvement in him, and even now after 71 days off the track I can still see him taking a step forward. The fact that he is a fragile type and Karl is sending him over to Ireland for a run would suggest all is ok after the little break, so I am intrigued to see how he gets on this weekend.
- Selection - Poet Master (7/2 Win)
4.20pm Curragh - Group 3 Meadow Court Stakes
Although she arrives into this contest off the back of a 274-day break, this does seem pretty cut and dried for Aidan O'Brien's Jackie Oh, who was a nice Group 3 winner last season as well as placing at Group 1 level on a few other occasions.
She was a very good second behind Blue Rose Cenin the Prix de l'Opera Longines at Longchamp where she was very game in defeat, beaten by just a neck in the end.
She ran well in some much better contests last season, and although she is a talented animal on her day, I just think she is a little short of Group 1 level but clearly far too good for the Group 3/2 fields. She is by far the highest rated in the field and did win on her first ever start as a three-year-old (she did not run as a two year old) so she can clearly go pretty well fresh. She might still be improving with each run now she is into her second season, so she could easily become a real force over this sort of trip as the season progresses.
- Selection - Jackie Oh (1/1 Win)
All previews and tips provided by @ Jake Russell