Pretty Polly and other top races

A busy Saturday, but pride of place goes obviously to the Group One Pretty Polly Stakes for fillies and mares over 10 furlongs at 16.35 CET at the Curragh, the main feature of the second day of the Irish Derby meeting. With Snow Fairy out of the race because of the soft going, this now looks a match between English raider Midday (Henry Cecil/ Tom Queally) and local hope Misty for Me (Aidan O´Brien/ Seamie Heffernan). The latter won the Irish 1,000 Guineas here, but there must be a doubt about her staying this trip, so preference is for the Newmarket filly, who is very consistent and has already 5 Group Ones to her credit. However this is a race to watch rather than to bet on.

Betting forecast for Curragh:
1. Race: Jimtown - Among Equals - All Approved
2. Race: Princess Sinead - Rigoletta - Soon
3. Race: Naseem Sea - Experience - Somasach
4. Race: Midday - Misty For Me - Claiomh Solais
5. Race: Times Up - Address Unknown - Red Cadeaux
6. Race: Radharcnafarraige - Mesariya - Future Generation
7. Race: Oneeightofamile - La Estrella - Bahrain Storm
8. Race: Freedom - Kayalar - Cape Of Good Grace


The big betting race of the day is the Northumberland Plate, aka the Pitmans Derby, a 2 mile handicap at 16.05 at Newcastle with 20 runners. Overdose (Donald McCain/ Henry Brooke) won this last year with a bravura front-running performance, but we are not sure that he can repeat this feat, especially if the ground softens any further; he was pulled out of his race at Royal Ascot last week because of the soft going. Our 3 against the field in this very tricky race are Harlestone Times (John Dunlop/ Ted Durcan), Activate (Michael Bell/ Hayley Turner) and English Summer (Mark Johnston/ Silvestre de Sousa).

Betting forecast for Newcastle:
1. Race: Regal Parade - Waffle - Genki
2. Race: Marvellous Value - Klynch - Singeur
3. Race: Overturn - Activate - Harlestone Times
4. Race: Xilerator - Vito Volterra - Man Of Action
5. Race: Kool Henry - Alnair - Majestic Manannan
6. Race: Mcbirney - Hakuna Matata - San Cassiano
7. Race: Agiaal - My Freedom - Nicola`S Dream


At Newmarket, the Group 3 Criterion Stakes over 7 furlongs at 16.20 can go to Beacon Lodge (Clive Cox/ Gerald Mossé), who ran very well in Chantilly last time. He gets 4 lbs from The Cheka (Eve Johnson Houghton/ Kieren Fallon), who won a similar race at Haydock and looks the chief danger. Mossé has another good chance on Jessica Harrington´ s Siren´s Song in the valuable Tattersalls sales race at 16.55.

Betting forecast for Newmarket:
1. Race: Rockinante - Paladin - Flying Trader
2. Race: Queens Revenge - Misty Conquest - Lily`S Angel
3. Race: Jukebox Jury - Cavalryman - Verdant
4. Race: The Cheka - Redford - Beacon Lodge
5. Race: Measuring Time - Questioning - Chef
6. Race: Udabaa - Naqshabban - Zain Shamardal
7. Race: Watneya - Wallis - Dark Promise