UK Horse Racing Tips: Curragh

Adrian Murray and Amo Racing teamed up to win this 12 months ago with subsequent Group 1 winner Bucanero Fuerte, and the owner's new retained rider David Egan gets the leg-up on ARIZONA BLAZE. The son of first-season sire Sergei Prokofiev sold for 82,000 pounds as a yearling and gets the nod. The same connections are also represented by 90,000-euro purchase Charanda, while Silvestre De Sousa is an interesting booking for the Murray-trained Linesky. Monotone and Rowdy Yeats are worth a look too.
Prediction : 1st Arizona Blaze 2nd Charanda 3rd Monotone

LAUGH A MINUTE has won this for the last couple of years and can complete the hat-trick. The nine-year-old has been a grand servant for Ado McGuiness and his recent comeback spin at Dundalk should have put him spot-on. Big Gossey is making his 29th competitive appearance at the Curragh and always warrants consideration here, despite his welter burden. Mickey The Steel had Stag Night, Two Stars and the selection just behind when successful over C&D on the final day of the 2023 turf season. Never Shout Never, a new recruit to the McGuinness stable, also commands attention.
Prediction : 1st Laugh A Minute 2nd Big Gossey 3rd Mickey The Steel

OLD FAITHFUL has the honour of being the first Ballydoyle runner of the new turf season and has experience to draw upon. The expensive Siyouni colt made the frame in his first three starts, handling testing conditions when runner-up at Listowel, so his subsequent failure at Gowran can be put down to the extended mile, rather than the heavy ground. Marty The Party offered plenty of encouragement as a juvenile, particularly when a close-up third here, and he is closely matched with Slaney Swagger on that evidence. Procrastinate, also by Siyouni, fetched 100,000 euros so has to be taken seriously.
Prediction : 1st Old Faithful 2nd Marty The Party 3rd Procrastinate

Mayfair is a full-sister to Listed winner Unless and it would be no surprise to see her improve on her fourth at Galway in August last year to get into contention. However, NEXT TRICK arguably showed more promise when finishing third on her debut over 6f here last summer and she is likely to have learned a great deal from that experience. Dermot Weld's three-year-old could prove tough to beat with normal improvement. Gaenari has competed at Group level on each of her last three starts and holds an obvious chance.
Prediction : 1st Next Trick 2nd Mayfair 3rd Gaenari

Magical Sunset rates a fascinating contender on her first start since joining the Adrian Murray stable and she very much sets the standard with a joint-top rating of 105. However, a chance can be taken on ALPHERATZ, who took her maiden in fine fashion at Gowran Park, beating Kisiyra (third) in heavy conditions by a wider margin than Everlasting did subsequently. The daughter of Phoenix Of Spain is likely to relish the conditions in a first-time hood and she gets the nod. Brilliant has twice been placed at Group 3 level and also has to be considered.
Prediction : 1st Alpheratz 2nd Magical Sunset 3rd Brilliant

This valuable prize has gone to a four-year-old on each of the last three renewals, and LAN CINNTE could improve on that record. Jessica Harrington's filly did just enough to score by a short head at Galway in August last year and she only has a 2lb rise to contend with. If she has improved over the winter, then she ought to go very close off a mark of 88. Serious Challenge, who placed in a Listed event at Limerick in June before being beaten two lengths into fourth in the same grade at Roscommon next time, also has to be considered. Last year's third Casanova and San Aer, who was fourth, also merit consideration.
Prediction : 1st Lan Cinnte 2nd Serious Challenge 3rd Casanova

This is a tricky puzzle for punters to solve, but there is plenty to like about the unexposed profile of handicap debutant SEE ME THROUGH. He shaped as though a return to a mile would suit when making the frame over Galway's 7f on his third outing in October and, with scope for further improvement this year, an opening mark of 68 looks workable for Ross O'Sullivan's colt. Beauty Bella arrives on the back of a Dundalk maiden success and she retains the services of Jack Cleary, whose 7lb claim will help. Superior Force went close on the all-weather last month and must be respected off a 2lb higher rating, while Global Energy went up 5lb for his 1m2f victory at Leopardstown in the autumn but remains one to consider.
Prediction : 1st See Me Through 2nd Beauty Bella 3rd Superior Force

Formerly trained by Joanna Morgan, MERISI DIAMOND justified strong support in the market when opening his account over 7f here in late October. Now under the tutelage of Martin Brassil, a 9lb rise may not be enough to prevent the unexposed five-year-old from going in again, with a drop to 6f unlikely to hamper his chance. Mercurial posted a solid second over C&D on the same card as the selection and he's feared most racing in similar conditions. The reappearing duo of Downforce and Angel On Fire are also worthy of consideration.
Prediction : 1st Merisi Diamond 2nd Mercurial 3rd Downforce