Mercurial can strike on testing ground at Curragh as La Fogata eyes Group 3 glory
John Nallen's Mercurial has plenty in his favour in the 1xbet.ie Safer Gambling Handicap at the Curragh on Tuesday. Pic: Healy Racing
Quite a mundane programme by the Curragh’s usual standard, though there is a Group 3 to boost the level of the day’s action, but a hopeful nap comes earlier on the card, in the shape of Mercurial, who contests the 1xbet.ie Safer Gambling Handicap.
Trained by John Nallen, the six-year-old had a nice mid-season break after which he made his return to action at the Harvest Festival in Listowel. He was slow to find his stride that day and consequently never in with any chance of winning, but it was encouraging that he stayed on well to finish a never-nearer fourth behind easy winner Dragon Of Malta. It is also worth noting that his rider reported that the horse didn’t handle the track.
Back over a course and distance where he recorded his sole success to date in this country, which was, importantly, also on testing ground, he has plenty in his favour this time and is worth an each-way interest at double-figure odds.
The feature is the Group 3 Staffordstown Stud Stakes and in a tricky puzzle to unravel, the vote goes to the promising La Fogata.
Ger Lyons’ filly was fourth on each of her first two starts, the second of which was in a Group 3, and she got her turn third time up when taking a Fairyhouse maiden in dramatic fashion.
She tends to get outpaced before engaging top gear, and that paid off on that occasion as she came from a seemingly impossible position to land the spoils.
That, allied to her breeding, suggests she will be better over middle distances next year, but the testing ground today will put emphasis on stamina and if she copes with the ground, she will go very close.
Aidan O’Brien has dominated the two-year-old season and all three of his runners must be respected. While Cameo is the outsider of the trio, he may prove the best of the Ballydoyle runners. Noel Meade runs two, and Caught U Sleeping makes more appeal than Stars Will Shine, though both can improve markedly on previous form.
2:07 Expert Dancer
2:42 Mercurial (nap)
3:17 La Fogata (nb)
3:52 Edge Of Seventeen
4:25 Small Fry
5:00 Chica Guerrera
5:35 Super Exceed
2:07 Seoul Force
2:42 Mile End
3:17 Caught U Sleeping
3:52 Happiest
4:25 Mont St Michel
5:00 Syzygy
5:35 Rampage
