UK Horse Racing Tips: Leopardstown

Dermot Weld sometimes provides company for his better horses with stablemates and a guess is that ELDAMA could be above average and win on debut. Weld runs apparent second-string Alaiya in the race and while she is out of a Group 2 winning dam and from a good family, she doesn't have any big-race entries. In contrast, Oisin Orr rides first-string ELDAMA (out of a once-raced half-sister to Gold Cup winners Enzeli and Estimate) and she has entries in the Pretty Polly, Irish Oaks, Minstrel Stakes and Kilboy Estate Stakes in the coming weeks. She will know her job and her stablemate could possibly provide company, albeit they are drawn six stalls apart. Ballydoyle's only runner Satin And Silk cost a cool 900,000gns as a yearling but makes her debut in blinkers. She is regally bred, being a half-sister to Group 1 and Group 2 winners but the presence of blinkers is slightly off-putting and her only big-race entry is in the Kilboy Estate Stakes. Lady Anner is a sister to Tony Martin's Italian Group 1 winner Laganore and while should have ability. There are plenty smart winners from numerous counties in German-bred Gamely Insistent's family and she could go well, despite having no big entries. Cloche similarly has no Group entries but is a half-sister to a Group 2 winner and from the family of some high class horses. There are some useful types in the pedigree of Amiko Chow, a 80,000gns yearling purchase, and she could go well.
Prediction : 1st Eldama 2nd Alaiya 3rd Satin And Silk

NAPA VALLEY, a half-brother to Tiggy Wiggy, could make a belated winning debut here. He didn't run as a juvenile and was one of many likely to have been held up by lockdown but his presence here is notable as he holds a Hampton Court Stakes entry at Royal Ascot next Wednesday. Most Ballydoyle horses benefit from a debut outing but he will surely be ready to win this maiden in mid-June. Stablemate Ramesses The Great is an American bred, Usd575,000 yearling purchase who is a half-brother to top-notch performer and Breeders' Cup winner Vino Rosso. He holds an Irish Derby entry but looks second-string on jockey booking today. Mostallim was a 175,000gns yearling purchase who is from the family of Holy Roman Emperor and while he has has no big race entries, could go well on debut. Up With The Play, by Fracas, is from the family of some top class American horses (Easy Now and Easy Goer) but is already gelded and might be best watched in a potentially hot maiden. Bolivar is out of a Listed-placed 1m2f winner, cost E33,000 as a yearling and should have ability. Aztec Parade is a gelded half-brother to two useful winners and cost E10,000 as a yearling.
Prediction : 1st Napa Valley 2nd Ramesses The Great 3rd Mostallim

TWILIGHT PAYMENT and Falcon Eight could be closely matched here but preference is for TWILIGHT PAYMENT, who beat that rival to win the 2019 renewal of this race. TWILIGHT PAYMENT is a proven smart stayer and while beaten in the Melbourne Cup (finished 11th) and in a hot handicap in the desert in Riyadh in February (finishing seventh of 14), there was certainly no disgrace in either effort and if he replicates last year's form, he could confirm his three parts of a length superiority and is also 3lbs better off today. Falcon Eight's final run in 2019 was when finishing fifth in the Group 1 Prix du Cadran last October and he too is a smart stayer who should give the selection plenty to worry about, with today's race also likely to have been his target for some time. Trossachs is capable but needs to improve to win while Barbados was used as a high class lead-horse in Ballydoyle last year but also finished second in the Queen's Vase last June. He makes his debut for Jessica Harrington but might struggle to win. Oriental Eagle has a rating of 108 having won a Group 3 and 2 in the past. Bought for E100,000 last October, he is still an entire, could also end up hurdling at some stage and is best watched following a poor display at Lingfield in January.
Prediction : 1st Twilight Payment 2nd Falcon Eight 3rd Trossachs

RIP ROCKS PADDY OK reverts to the flat for the first time since August 2018 and looks likely to win from his basement 45 rating (he is officially rated 38). He showed little ability initially on the flat but subsequently showed plenty improvement over hurdles. He disappointed on his last hurdles outing in September 2019 but goes well on good ground, gets two miles over hurdles so should prove competitive here with his rider claiming 5lbs for good measure. Roman Warrior has yet to win but has been placed in the past at Dundalk and his latest run, which was his first try at 1m2f, was encouraging and it is notable he now tries 1m4f. A Place Apart has done most of his racing over jumps but looks likely to win a flat handicap from his current mark and has trip and ground in his favour.
Prediction : 1st Rip Rocks Paddy Ok 2nd Roman Warrior 3rd A Place Apart

PRINCESS YAIZA showed enough on her comeback run at Dundalk to suggest she retains plenty of ability and she can get back on track here. The former Group 2 winner failed to make the track when switched to a US handler last season but back in the care of Gavin Cromwell she chased home the in-form Bowerman on the all-weather back in January. She was entitled to be ring rusty then and with that outing under her belt and a step up in trip she looks the one to beat now. Jessica Harrington's horses warrant plenty of respect at the moment and Camphor has to be a threat. The progressive Camelot filly won twice last season before finishing the campaign with two good placed efforts in stakes company. Any rain is probably going to help her chances. Loveisthehigherlaw beat Camphor on her debut last season before following up at Killarney. She was last seen running a fine race, in testing ground, to finish fourth in Listed company at Naas and could be a big player on her return.
Prediction : 1st Princess Yaiza 2nd Camphor 3rd Loveisthehigherlaw

Joseph O'Brien runs four in this and the vote goes to the top horse SACRAMENTO. This Pivotal colt showed a nice level in three hot maidens last season and doesn't look harshly treated off a mark of 82 on his return. He was fourth to recent Derby Trial winner Cormorant on his debut and bumped into another decent sort in Sunchart on his final outing. This looks an easier task now. The Ballydoyle horses also have to be respected in handicap company and Holy Roman Empress, who ran a couple of nice races last season, could well be a danger. Yulong Voice represents the in-form Harrington and Foley partnership and is another that has to be on any short list. He won on decent ground at Bellewstown last season before a couple of solid efforts on softer in nurseries.
Prediction : 1st Sacramento 2nd Holy Roman Empress 3rd Yulong Voice

TRISH'S COMPANY looks capable of improvement this season. The Fast Company filly still looked very green when winning a Dundalk maiden last November and could progress with experience. Judged on the horses behind her that day a mark of 67 looks lenient enough for her handicap debut. Miracles In May was in good form on the all-weather earlier in the year and could be a big player here. His runner-up effort to Nordic Passage back in January reads well with that horse winning recently. Jack Berry House was last seen winning a claimer in England and makes his first start for John McConnell now. He looks on a competitive mark and is another to consider with a nice low weight.
Prediction : 1st Trishs Company 2nd Miracles In May 3rd Jack Berry House

Dermot Weld's runners are always worth a look when sporting headgear for the first time and DARK PINE could prove the answer here on his handicap debut. The Dandy Man gelding ran in some strong maidens last term and a mark of 79 doesn't look too high here on what he showed then. Confidence High is sure to prove popular after his win at Leopardstown during the week and he looks to have an obvious chance under a 6lb penalty. Just the four in this for Joseph O'Brien and one to note in the market is the JP McManus-owned Flying Scotsman. He hinted at ability last year, when with Ballydoyle, particularly on his final start at Dundalk when his rider reported to the stewards that he was raw and ran greenly.
Prediction : 1st Dark Pine 2nd Confidence High 3rd Flying Scotsman