Irish 1,000 Guineas at the Curragh

Racing in the U.K. today, as so often on a Sunday, is very modest, but as compensation there is an excellent card at the Curragh, highlighted by the Irish 1,000 Guineas. Yesterday was pretty disastrous for the home team, as British stables took all the main events, and it would be no huge surprise were there to be similar results today.

There are 19 runners in the classic, due to go off at 17.15 CET, but the two favourites are both trained in Britain - Music Show (Mick Channon/ Ryan Moore) and Anna Salai (Mahmoud al Zarooni/ Ahmed Ajtebi). Music Show was only 6th in the equivalent race at Newmarket, but she was beaten by the draw, "winning" the race on the far side, while Anna Salai had smart form in France before being transferred recently from Andre Fabre´s stable to Newmarket. The local hopes are headed by Aidan O´Brien´s team of 5, with stable jockey Johnny Murtagh partnering seasonal debutante Lillie Langtry, while Gile na Greine (Jim Bolger/ Kevin Manning) and the unbeaten pair of Lolly for Dolly (Tommy Stack/ Wayne Lordan) and Termagant (Kevin Prendergast/ Declan McDonogh) will also have their supporters.

The Tattersalls Gold Cup at 16.40 is also a Group One race and sees several candidates for top honours this season in the small line-up. They include Fame and Glory (O´Brien/ Murtagh), who spent much of last year chasing Sea the Stars, but did win the Irish Derby here, and the unbeaten Cutlass Bay (Saeed bin Suroor/ Ajtebi), also recently transferred from the Fabre yard in Chantilly. Dermot Weld also has high hopes for Chinese White (Pat Smullen) the only female in the field.

The Gallinule Stakes for 3yo´s at 15.40 is over 10 furlongs and some Derby candidates run here, notably Jan Vermeer (O´Brien/ Murtagh), not seen out since winning a French Group One last November on very heavy ground - the going will be very different today. He can be opposed by Shintoh (Bolger/ Manning), an easy winner at Naas last time, who looks a decent each way bet at the likely odds.

Betting forecast:
1. Race: High Ruler - Master Of Hounds - Heir To The Mint
2. Race: An Tadh - Polar Explorer - Lough Mist
3. Race: Jan Vermeer - Icon Dream - Zayaan
4. Race: Book Of Numbers - Galileo`S Choice - Vivacious Vivienne
5. Race: Fame And Glory - Cutlass Bay - Chinese White
6. Race: Music Show - Anna Salai - Lolly For Dolly
7. Race: Raqiyah - Nokomys - Theoretically
8. Race: Alburj - Green Art - Bright Horizon