UK Horse Racing Tips: Curragh

Ger Lyons was expecting a big debut performance from RED LETTER over C&D and the daughter of Frankel performed well when narrowly defeated by the Ballydoyle-trained Lake Victoria. The pair pulled nicely clear of the remainder and the form of that race received a couple of boosts at Leopardstown on Thursday. Aidan O'Brien introduces Ballet Slippers, who is the first foal of multiple Group 1 winner Magical and is partnered by Ryan Moore, and the Wootton Bassett filly Whirl. Dermot Weld sent out an impressive juvenile debut winner at Leopardstown during the week and Deressa is well entered up in Pattern races, which is also the case with Sunglow and Varshini.
Prediction : 1st Red Letter 2nd Ballet Slippers 3rd Varshini

Sent off odds-on favourite, BABOUCHE showed speed throughout when bolting up by five lengths in a maiden at Cork last month. It is a vote of confidence from her trainer that he pitches her in against colts for this Group 3 contest on just her second start. Course maiden winner Cowardofthecounty had Camille Pissarro behind when beaten less than two lengths in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot but the latter, Ryan Moore's pick from three Ballydoyle-trained runners, was touched off in a similar race here on his previous start and is capable of better. California Dreamer went close in a Group 2 here on Irish Derby weekend and is another to note.
Prediction : 1st Babouche 2nd Camille Pissarro 3rd California Dreamer

KENDALL ROY may have a slight class edge over these rivals and can resume winning ways. Katie McGivern's sprinter was winning for the fourth time in five starts when landing a premier handicap for three-year-olds over C&D last month. He was out of the money in the Rockingham Handicap last time but a couple of horses who finished behind him have been successful since. Ostraka was a debut winner over 6f here last year but her best handicap run came over 5f at Cork and she will appreciate this return to the minimum distance. Eruption has enjoyed a fine season with two wins and two seconds from six starts and cannot be overlooked.
Prediction : 1st Kendall Roy 2nd Ostraka 3rd Eruption

MUTASARREF is a real 7f specialist and has gained all bar one of his eight career wins over this trip. The Ger Lyons-trained gelding is on a hat-trick after landing the Group 3 Ballycorus Stakes at Leopardstown last month and gets the vote over Lord Massusus, who is effective on a variety of surfaces and comes here off the back of a Listed win here on Irish Derby day. Mountain Bear was second in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf last November and has trained on well judged on his fourth to Haatem in the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Prediction : 1st Mutasarref 2nd Lord Massusus 3rd Mountain Bear

BREATHE AGAIN appears to be progressing with each run and receives weight all round on her handicap debut. The Sheila Lavery-trained filly kept on well in the straight to take third behind Flight Of Fancy last time over a mile at Limerick and the form looks solid with the winner placed during the week in a Listed race at Killarney. Four Blondes, Serious Notions and Glen Princess all won maidens last time, while Back Down Under and Indigo Five both scored over 7f here on their latest start, the latter landing a Premier Handicap on Irish Derby day.
Prediction : 1st Breathe Again 2nd Indigo Five 3rd Four Blondes

JACKIE OH is the clear pick on form following a solid campaign last year and it will be interesting to see how strong she is in the market on her belated seasonal debut. The Galileo filly won a Group 3 over a similar trip on soft ground at Gowran last summer and finished off the season when placed in Group 1 events at Longchamp and Ascot. American Sonja made a successful start to the year over 1m2f at Longchamp but couldn't find any extra in the closing stages at Saratoga last month, while Caernarfon enters calculations after showing improved form to land a Listed race at Pontefract recently. Sparks Fly would be well suited by any rain.
Prediction : 1st Jackie Oh 2nd American Sonja 3rd Caernarfon

SIDIZA made a bright start when keeping on well into third behind Hanalia over 1m2f here in May. The form of that maiden has been working out well since and the daughter of Sea The Moon is bred to appreciate this extra quarter-mile. Ephesus was placed on his opening two starts, including when making a promising debut behind stablemate London City at Dundalk in April, but the Galileo colt finished four lengths behind Rosso when disappointing at Leopardstown last time and needs to bounce back with cheekpieces fitted for the first time. Kalkanli and Kaptain Bay are others to consider with plenty of scope for improvement.
Prediction : 1st Sidiza 2nd Ephesus 3rd Rosso

Gordon Elliott is well represented in this charity race and NDAAWI looks the pick. The dual-purpose gelding won twice on the Flat for Andrew Balding and has done well over hurdles for current connections, winning a Naas maiden and finishing third in the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. The selection was a creditable seventh when returning to the level last month in the 2m4f Ascot Stakes. Jessica Harrington has three runners and Jungle Cove may prove the main threat having won four times on the Flat, including valuable handicaps at Leopardstown and Ascot. If You Let Me and Endless Pursuit are others to consider.
Prediction : 1st Ndaawi 2nd Jungle Cove 3rd Endless Pursuit