Weekend Tips: Pretty Gorgeous can get back to winning ways
Pretty Gorgeous can get back to winning ways in the Group 2 Debutante Stakes on this afternoon’s card in the Curragh. Joseph O’Brien’s filly was tremendously impressive on debut and lost little in defeat on her second start, when runner-up to one of today’s rivals, Shale, in the Group 3 Silver Flash Stakes.
She has a length and a half to make up on the winner, but the winner was best positioned through the race and benefited from a brilliant ride by Gavin Ryan.
She is not dismissed lightly but Pretty Gorgeous is an imposing sort with tremendous scope for improvement and will benefit from that extra experience. She will also be more suited by today’s conditions and she can improve past Shale and gain her first stakes race success.
Cadillac was supremely impressive on debut at Leopardstown and can follow up in the Group 2 Galileo Irish EBF Futurity Stakes. Jessica Harrington’s colt quickened up in remarkable style to win that maiden by nine lengths, and the runner-up, Ebeko, gave the form a boost when winning his maiden next time. This is a big step up in class, but he has a good draw and is hard to oppose. Tyros Stakes runner-up Van Gogh rates the danger.
Thunder Kiss can make a successful handicap debut in the Irish EBF Supporting Champions Weekend Fillies Handicap. It took her three goes to get off the mark, but the form of her first run reads very well and she was unlucky next time.
At Killarney last time out, she won with more in hand than the winning margin might suggest and will improve with more testing ground through the autumn. She can take the next step towards stakes company. Royal Free Hotel, who also carries the colours of Newtown Anner Stud, was six lengths behind the selection when both were on debut but is also on the up and can get closer.
On testing ground, Pulse Of Shanghai can get off the mark in the TRM Hoofmaker Handicap which brings the card to a close.
It is a little surprising that bumper winner Belfast Banter is still a maiden over hurdles after seven attempts, but he can right that wrong in the opening race in Killarney, the first division of the Extra Places On The BoyleSports App Maiden Hurdle.
West Cork Wildway should get off the mark in the second division. His second-place finish to Aione on soft to heavy ground at Gowran in January reads exceptionally well in the context of today’s race and this should prove to be his turn.
Fan De Blues can take the Play Lotto On The BoyleSports App Beginners Chase. Willie Mullins’ runner was a shade disappointing last time, in a handicap hurdle at Galway, but connections’ decision to send him back chasing can yield rich dividends.
Tomorrow at Naas, the Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes, with a prize fund of €320,000, has attracted a full field and is every bit as competitive as one would expect. On ratings, British raider Devious Company is the one to beat but Anna Strade makes appeal at a huge price. She was behind one of today’s rivals, Amber Kite, last time but was still green and entitled to improve significantly. She can cause an upset by accounting for stablemate Street Kid.
CURRAGH
(Saturday)
Tommy Lyons
2:00 Wordsworth
2:35 St Mark’s Basilica
3:10 Speak In Colours
3:45 Pretty Gorgeous (nap)
4:15 Thunder Kiss (nb)
4:45 Cadillac
5:15 Mudawy
5:45 Pulse Of Shanghai
Next Best
2:00 Mcpherson
2:35 Loch Lein
3:10 Make A Challenge
3:45 Shale
4:15 Royal Free Hotel
4:45 Van Gogh
5:15 Truth Prevails
5:45 Sunset Nova
KILLARNEY
(Saturday)
Tommy Lyons
2:15 Belfast Banter
2:50 West Cork Wildway
3:25 Mick Charlie
4:00 Décor Irlandais
4:35 Fan De Blues
5:05 Galvin
5:35 Fine Brunello
6:05 Slige Dala
Next Best
2:15 Satin Sun
2:50 That’s Lifebuoy
3:25 Colonel Lesley
4:00 Pakens Rock
4:35 A Wave Of The Sea
5:05 La Sorelita
5:35 Smithscorner
6:05 Weseekhimhere
SUNDAY
(Naas)
Tommy Lyons
1:50 Auxilia
2:20 Mr Mooj
2:50 Anna Strada
3:20 Kastasa
3:55 Abduction
4:30 Kodigreen
5:00 Drombeg Duke (nb)
Next Best
1:50 Soul Search
2:20 Lord Park
2:50 Street Kid
3:20 Ennistypon
3:55 Notoriously Risky
4:30 Silver Spear
5:00 Rattling Jewel
