Weekend tips: Wembley can score in 2000 Guineas

Wembley can prove his Newmarket 2000 Guineas run all wrong by taking the Group 1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas, the highlight of a classy card this afternoon at The Curragh

Sat, 22 May, 2021 - 07:00

Tommy Lyons

Wembley can prove his Newmarket 2000 Guineas run all wrong by taking the Group 1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas, the highlight of a classy card this afternoon at The Curragh, where, if the meeting survives a morning inspection, conditions are bound to be extremely testing.

It took him four goes to get off the mark in his juvenile season, but he followed up his Roscommon win with a runner-up finish in the National Stakes before running a huge race to push subsequent French 2000 Guineas winner St Mark’s Basilica to three parts of a length in the Dewhurst.

On the latter occasion, the winner was a shade comfortable at the line, but Wembley was out the back, away from the pace, and ran even better than the bare result might suggest.

He was disappointing on his return, in the Guineas, but never looked entirely happy and was eased long before the finish. He is much better than that, has shown an ability to deal with soft ground, and can be the one to give Aidan O’Brien a first win in the race since 2017 and a 12th in total.

Mac Swiney was disappointing on his return but is better judged on Group 1 form on testing ground last season. In the conditions, he looks a bigger danger than stablemate Poetic Flare, who won the Newmarket 2000 Guineas and finished sixth in the French equivalent.

Glen Shiel can carry top weight to victory in the Group 2 Weatherbys Ireland Greenlands Stakes. Archie Watson’s horse won over course and distance in August and followed up that Group 3 win by finishing runner-up to Dream Of Dreams in the Group 1 Haydock Sprint Cup before winning the Group 1 sprint on Champions’ Day in Ascot. Proven on very soft ground, he has that touch of class which can carry him to a winning seasonal debut.

Let’s can claim her first win on turf in the Betway Spring Fillies’ Handicap. Ken Condon’s filly won a Dundalk maiden in late November, and only made her grass debut in late April. She lost little in defeat in fourth place behind Measure Of Magic, Logo Hunter and Lipizzaner, over five and a half furlongs.

Next time up, over seven furlongs, she didn’t enjoy the best of luck in finishing fourth behind Pale Iris, and the form was boosted by the subsequent wins of the first and second. She looks progressive, gives the impression she will appreciate the step up to a mile, and can take this at the expense of Boyne River.

Tomorrow’s Group 1 Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas doesn’t look particularly strong, and Richard Fahey’s raider, Fev Rover, can go a couple of places better than when third in the Newmarket equivalent. The Gutaifan filly developed into a smart juvenile, highlighted by her win in the Group 2 Prix du Calvados at Deauville.

On her final start of last season, she didn’t have much luck in running in the Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac but ran a fine race to finish fourth behind Tiger Tanaka. She returned better than ever with a third place finish in the Newmarket 1000 Guineas and can improve further.

While this ground will be particularly testing, she has proven form in very soft conditions, has the benefit of a run, and is preferred to Joan Of Arc and Pretty Gorgeous.

Broome can continue his winning run by taking the Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup. Aidan O’Brien’s colt has raced three times this season, has won each of those, and can put his race-fitness and suitability to the conditions to good use to hold off stablemates Tiger Moth and Serpentine.

CURRAGH (Saturday)

Tommy Lyons

1:45 The Acropolis

2:15 The Entertainer

2:45 Glen Shiel (NB)

3:20 Wembley

3:55 Epona Plays

4:25 Let’s (nap)

5:00 Summer Sands

5:30 Liffey River

Next best

1:45 Barud