Jane Mangan’s William Hill Blog: Irish Derby Weekend

By News Team
28th June 2024

Curragh, Saturday

We start with Saturday’s card and the Barronstown Stud Maiden (1.15pm). This race has been won by some very good horses, most recently by the Derby winner City Of Troy. Aidan O’Brien has won three of the last five renewals and he has three in here, all very well bred. The choice of Ryan Moore is Rock Of Cashel, out of Best In The World, making him a half-sibling to Oaks winner Snowfall, she herself a sister to Found. Rock Of Cashel is named to be good, is the choice of Ryan Moore and he’s the one for me.

The second race is the Sherry FitzGerald Country Homes Handicap (1.45pm) over six furlongs. It’s a wide-open race where I think Collective Power is back off a winnable mark of 83. He can be slow away from the stalls, thus sabotaging his chances, but I liked his run behind Bold Optimist last time at Cork where he was an eye-catching fast finisher. The fact that he’s drawn next to Rahmi and Laugh A Minute should help carry him into the race. I think he could make his presence felt here.

The Airlie Stud Stakes (2.20pm) is a 10 runner fillies’ race, where I like Fiery Lucy. Gavin Cromwell had his juvenile Mighty Eriu run a super race in the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot and this two-year-old filly looked very smart when she won at Fairyhouse. Some of these have been to Ascot and are coming back, whereas she is fresh, coming straight from winning her maiden and I think Fiery Lucy could be quite good. Let’s hope she’s fiery!

The International Stakes (2.55pm) over 10 furlongs is an interesting race for older horses in against three-year olds. Ecureuil Secret is a horse that I’ve been watching closely in his three runs to date. I was impressed with how he finished in the Gallinule last time at the Curragh considering he was quite keen early on. Oisin Murphy rode him that day, but his regular work rider Seamie Heffernan takes the ride here and he’ll know best how to get him to settle. He is on the improve for Edward O’Grady and I can see a strong pace in the race being set by Bolster, setting the race up for a closer, which could well be Ecureuil Secret.

The Pretty Polly Stakes (3.30pm) is the race of the weekend, bar none. It’s fantastic to see five of the eight runners coming from the UK and in particular Tasmania bringing in the French form as well. Emily Upjohn hasn’t shown the same spark as last year in her two runs this season. With that in mind, I think Bluestocking could well be a better filly this year, she was unlucky last year, touched off in the Irish Oaks and narrowly beaten on British Champions Day too. She was brilliant in her seasonal reappearance in the Middleton beating Free Wind at York. I think this is her Group One to lose; with the headgear and cheek pieces off, she’s looking far more like the finished article. Bluestocking is the one to beat.

Curragh, Sunday

Sunday’s Railway Stakes (1.40pm) has been dominated by team Ballydoyle in recent years, but I think this may well go back to the UK with The Strikin Viking, Kevin Ryan’s horse was very impressive at York, for which he got a very high Timeform figure. I think he’s extremely highly regarded, and he could outsmart the Irish in this Group 2 contest for juveniles.

The Rockingham Handicap (2.50pm) is a hugely competitive race and I’m going to have an each-way bet on Shandy. She’s a filly who’s only had four starts, so remains completely unexposed on her handicap debut and with only has 8st 7lbs on her back. Now with the hood applied for the first time I think she could show she’s much better than what we saw last time. She was a very smart maiden winner, tried at Stakes level, and now she’s back into handicap company. I think she could be thrown in. It’s a difficult assignment for her handicap debut. She does lack experience in a big field, but with Wayne Lordan’s experience helping her navigate that, I think she could be a big each-way price for Fozzy Stack.

I like Lord Massusus in the Celebration Stakes (3.25pm), despite the fact that he has to concede the penalty all round. It’s best to just disregard his run in the Tatts Gold Cup, that was just a step too far. But, looking back, his run behind White Birch in the Mooresbridge is a standout piece of form. He’s now dropping in class and despite having to concede weight, I think he’s the class horse in the race.

The Irish Derby (4.05pm) is upon us and it looks like it’s going to be a very tactical renewal. Ambiente Friendly, to my eyes, looks like the only horse in the field who possesses that potent turn of foot and with Ballydoyle fielding several runners who are likely to set a good gallop to draw out the stamina of Los Angeles, Rab Havlin will have to be at his best to be tactically aware of his surroundings at the Curragh. That being said, I do think Ambiente Friendly was just beaten by a better horse at Epsom and that he too does stay, so would have no issues being drawn into a stamina war with Los Angeles. Along with that tactical turn of speed he possesses, I believe he will outclass his rivals and take the Irish Derby back home to the UK.

In the seven-furlong handicap (5.15pm), I like Kayhana. She’s a filly who was a non-runner in Listed company last time, but her run over a mile at the Curragh behind State Actor is a standout piece of form. In time, she could develop into a Stakes class filly, but she looks ready to bag a big Curragh handicap in the meantime.