better racing in Ireland

4 meetings today but the better racing, both on the flat and over jumps, comes from Ireland. There are 3 listed races on the card at the Curragh, with Aidan O´Brien strongly represented in all fo them. He can win the mile race for 2yo fillies at 15.25 CET with Dazzling (Joseph O´Brien), who won in good style on her debut but must be forgiven her odds-on flop last time, and Joseph is also in the saddle of Cristoforo Colombo, who failed to make it at the top level but can score in this lesser company over 6 furlongs at 15.55.O´Brien has 2 runners in the 1 1/2 mile race at 17.05, but we shall take a chance on Zand (John Oxx/ Declan McDonogh); Oxx has had a terrible time this season, but his horses are now running much better and we hope to see significant improvement from the well-bred Aga Khan runner. Those who found the 66-1 winner of the Cesarewitch yesterday (not us unfortunately) can now try their luck with their Irish equivalent at 17.40 with a mere 30 runners. Dermot Weld won it last year and now saddles 3 runners and we hope the see the smart hurdler Hisaabaat (Gary Carroll) come out best of them.
Willie Mullins and Noel Meade both have runners in that race but are much more likely to be at the jumps meeting at Limerick, where they can dominate the Grade Three novice hurdle at 15.35 with Indevan (Ruby Walsh) and Silver Tassie (Davy Condon) respectively. Ruby Walsh can also take the Grade Three chase at 17.20 on Tony Martin´s Benefficient, a winner at the Cheltenham Festival; Tofino Bay (Dessie Hughes/ Davy Russell) also ran well there, but this trip seems too short and we will be surprised if he can beat Benefficient today. The big betting race here is the Munster National at 17.50, where leading owner JP McManus has 5 runners; his main jockey Tony McCoy rides Edward O´Grady´s Shot From The Hip, a 9yo Monsun gelding, and he is our selection.
In the U.K. there is flat racing at Goodwood at N.H. racing at Ffos Las, with some small fields. The fields are bigger at Goodwood but there are lots of non-runners following overnight rain and punters are advised to tread warily. Our main fancy here is Nordic Quest (Ger Butler/ Simon Walker), out of a good German mare, in the amateur riders handicap at 16.40.

Betting forecast Curragh:
1. Race: Century - Lone Star - Bush Pilot
2. Race: Chicago Girl - Dazzling - Intense Light
3. Race: Cristoforo Colombo - Balmont Mast - Scream Blue Murder
4. Race: Fulminata - Iron Major - Waver
5. Race: Sir Walter Scott - Hikari - Zand
6. Race: Cullentry Royal - Montefeltro - Truthwillsetufree
7. Race: New Regalia - Pastiches - Al Fahidi