Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh

the Irish Derby meeting at the Curragh has its first highlight today, with the Group One Pretty Polly Stakes over 10 furlongs for filliies and mares at 15.20 CET as the main feature. 4 of the 9 runners are older fillies and 5 are 3yo´s, who also dominate the betting, with Remember When (Aidan O´Brien/ Johnny Murtagh) a warm favourite. She is still a maiden, but ran a great race in the Oaks, where she looked the likely winner at the distance. This trip could be more suitable, but she has little in hand of Akdarena (Jim Bolger/ Kevin Manning), sixth at Epsom after making the running. She will also like the shorter distance, and will also be better suited by the track. Best of the older brigade are Chinese White (Dermot Weld/ Pat Smullen), third to Fame & Glory last time, and Flying Cloud (Saeed bin Suroor/ Frankie Dettori), third to Sariska at York on her only 2010 start. At the likely odds we think that Akdarena is good each-way bet.
Two Group Three races, both with only 5 runners, back up the Curragh´s big race. The International Stakes at 14.45 looks a bít substandard and we expect Recharge (Kevin Prendergast/ Chris Hayes), winner of a listed race last time and before that three times runner-up, twice to Fame & Glory, to score here. The Curragh Cup over 1 3/4 miles at 17.00 looks more tricky. Profound Beauty (Weld/ Smullen) defeated Age of Aquarius last time, which is smart form, but Roses for the Lady (John Oxx/ Fran Berry), runner-up in last year´s Irish Oaks, and the two British raiders Tactic (John Dunlop/ Tagdh O´Shea) and Saptapadi (Sir Michael Stoute/ Ryan Moore) will not go under without a fight.
Best bet at the Curragh, in our view, is Wild Wind (O´Brien/ Murtagh) in the opening maiden for 2yo fillies at 14.15. This filly, foaled in Germany but with nothing German in her pedigree, was runner-up in a huge field to Seeharn on her debut here, and the latter was a listed winner here last night.

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Wild Wind - Puttore - Light Footsteps
2. Race: Recharge - Shintoh - Precious Gem
3. Race: Remember When - Chinese White - Akdarena
4. Race: Drombeg Dawn - Chorus Of Angels - Anam Chara
5. Race: Master Of Hounds - Velesgo - Roderic O`Connor
6. Race: Profound Beauty - Roses For The Lady - Saptapadi
7. Race: Spinning Wings - Essex - Zarinava