UK Horse Racing Tips: Leopardstown

MAIRE RUA comes from a Juddmonte pedigree with which Ger Lyons has prospered significantly in the form of recent Pretty Polly third, Red Letter. This daughter of Frankel has big boots to fill, but with a Moyglare Stakes entry later in the year, it is suggested that she could take this on debut. Margot Mae sets the form standard after her improved third over this course and distance when just touched off for second by subsequent runaway maiden winner Alpha. The Starspangledbanner filly holds a Moyglare entry and can improve once again. Two debutants, Bellesque and Churchill Bond, also have interesting profiles and should not be discounted, especially if the market speaks in their favour.
Prediction : 1st Maire Rua 2nd Margot Mae 3rd Bellesque

DARK LEADER finished a close second on debut behind a now 88-rated performer over this distance in Limerick. Fozzy Stack's charge has faded over a mile subsequently and now dropping back to 7f for his handicap debut, the son of Dark Angel may be well treated. Zenford broke his duck at the fifth attempt in Limerick and the consistent gelding may still have more room for improvement, although he is somewhat hostage to the pace of a race. Mighty Danu has place prospects, mainly based on her debut victory as she has been pitched in the deep end since. If she relaxes, she could be on a workable mark.
Prediction : 1st Dark Leader 2nd Zenford 3rd Mighty Danu

PHENOMENAL FILLY won a maiden here on her second start, with a Cheshire Oaks winner behind her, before taking fifth in the Goffs Million. Paddy Twomey's charge has to combat her relative inexperience and the lack of a recent run but, with the age allowance, she has a great chance of improving her form as a three-year-old. Fingerpaint has failed to fulfil her presumed potential after a Curragh debut success but, now with a run under her belt and first-time cheekpieces, she may be able to turn her form in the right direction. Duckadilly is top on official ratings and should be in the frame, although she does have to deal with a sharp 11-day turnaround.
Prediction : 1st Phenomenal Filly 2nd Fingerpaint 3rd Duckadilly

A winner over 1m2f when trained in Britain, LIBERATE has taken a bit of time to come to hand for Denis Hogan but she ran her best race for current connections when fifth in a big-field contest at the Curragh on Derby weekend. This looks a less competitive affair and cheekpieces are an interesting addition on the Study Of Man filly. A Galway Festival winner last year, Heliogabalus made a winning reappearance when narrowly defeating Zaraahmando over C&D last month. The third has won since to give that form a solid look. Eddie G is warming up for Galway and wasn't far off two subsequent winners over 7f last time.
Prediction : 1st Liberate 2nd Zaraahmando 3rd Eddie G

Chris Hayes mentioned this race as a possible target after HARANA readily won a maiden at Ballinrobe last month, and Dermot Weld's filly duly lines up with an unexposed profile. The ground was too soft on her handicap debut over C&D previously and underfoot conditions will be to her liking this time. Jamestown was a leading fancy for the Britannia at Royal Ascot and produced a fine effort to finish third in what is always an ultra-competitive contest. He's up 3lb for that, which looks fair. Handicap debutant Thread Of Gold had some smart horses behind when landing a Curragh maiden last summer and made an encouraging reappearance when third at Listowel.
Prediction : 1st Harana 2nd Jamestown 3rd Thread Of Gold

YQUEM was a revelation on her second start for a new yard when winning easily over C&D three weeks ago. That performance was rendered much more explicable when it emerged after the race that the daughter of Wootton Bassett was in foal, and she might be able to go in again from what is a reasonable mid-field draw. Nibras Rainbow has hit a good spell of form in recent weeks and chased home the selection last time. He has an 8lb pull at the weights now. A course winner on fast ground, Morning Approach has dropped down to a good mark and hinted at a revival on her penultimate start.
Prediction : 1st Yquem 2nd Nibras Rainbow 3rd Morning Approach

SIRIUS won the big amateur handicap at the 2024 Galway Festival and her owner David Dunsdon was again on board when she scored at the Curragh in October. Absent since, this looks like a prep for a probable return to Galway but, despite a slight concern that the ground will be quicker than ideal, the seven-year-old can land the spoils. Delta threw in a poor run when favourite for a Curragh handicap on Derby weekend, but is better judged on a good fourth in a big-field contest at the same venue in May. The Mediator has been kept busy in similar contests lately and should run respectably again in a change of headgear.
Prediction : 1st Sirius 2nd Delta 3rd The Mediator