Group race in Ireland this evening

Once again there is a group race in Ireland this evening, the Ballyroan Stakes over 1 1/2 miles at Leopardstown at 19.45 CET. Only 4 runners, but still an interesting event with 3 of them very smart: Ernest Hemingway (Aidan and Joseph O´Brien), Royal Diamond (Johnny Murtagh) and Scintillula (Jim Bolger/ Kevin Manning). Royal Diamond won the Irish St. Leger last year, but was well beaten by Ernest Hemingway in the Curragh Cup at the end of June; he is 6 lbs better off, but this may not be enough to reverse the form with the O´Brien runner, who ran in last year´s Arc (as pacemaker for Camelot). As a 3yo filly, Scintillula is getting quite a lot of weight; she was a close fourth in the Irish Oaks, but then won over 9 furlongs, so it is not clear if this is her ideal distance. Despite the weight, we go along with Ernest Hemingway, expected to be a leading contender for the autumn´s big staying races.

There are 8 meetings all told in the U.K. and Ireland today, but it is difficult to drum up any enthusiasm for the other 7 cards. Brighton continues its big August meeting with a 1 1/2 mile handicap at 16.50. Edwyn Ralph (David Simcock/ Ryan Moore) is the only 3yo in the field, but we are not certain that he can cope with the CD specialists in the field such as Ethics Girl (John Berry/ Adam Kirby), who won this race last year, Laser Blazer (Jeremy Gask/ Jim Crowley) and especially Beacon Lady (William Knight/ Darren Egan), who has a really excellent record at this track. However Ryan Moore can take the following fillies handicap at 17.20 with Love Magic, whose Trainer Sir Michael Stoute can also take Yarmouth´s fillies handicap at 17.00 with the very well-bred Dream Wild. Bop It (David O´Meara/ Danny Tudhope), a half-brother to Hoof It and a close 4th of 20 at York last time is the obvious favourite for the 6 furlongs handicap at 17.10 at Haydock.