WATCH: Irish Champions Weekend video preview and tips for the Curragh

Recommended bets, Sunday September 14

1pt e.w. Mother Earth in 3.40 Curragh at 10/1

1pt e.w. Kipling in 5.50 Curragh at 6/1

For details of advised bookmakers and each-way terms, visit our transparent tipping record

More really exciting racing on the second day of Irish Champions Weekend at the Curragh today and in the first race - the 'Bold Lad' Sprint Handicap - it's worth recalling Make A Challenge got beat last year so it's no easy task trying to find the winner.

The market seems to have settled on Mr Lupton which is interesting as he's now 10lb lower in the ratings than when winning a Group Two over course and distance at last year's Irish Guineas meeting.

With the ground tightening up a bit I'd certainly be concentrating on the UK challengers, with Highland Dress and Treacherous also highly respected. But Mr Lupton looks to be coming back to form and I don't see stall six being an issue in this race. We can maybe leave him at the current odds, though.

I'm a massive fan of Thundering Nights ahead of the Moyglare 'Jewels' Blanford Stakes and she's done us a couple of good turns this season but I'd just have it at the back of my mind that she could have done with the ground being a shade softer.

On soft last time she was very good in beating Albigna and while she has won on good before, the more it dries the less I'm keen on her. And you'd have to have maximum respect for Magic Wand.

So I'll possibly hold off until hearing some of the feedback from the jockeys regarding the going after the first race.

A'Ali was possibly a bit overlooked in our video preview on Friday (see below) but I've watched back the Nunthorpe a couple of times and he did run pretty well considering his best efforts previously have been on stiffer finishes here at the Curragh and Sandown.

You can see why he's being well supported.

Glass Slippers is a Group One winner whose form obviously ties in with A'Ali while Make A Challenge is another Irish runner who hasn't been done many favours by this drying weather. Which swings things into A'Ali's favour, who won't be too inconvenienced by stall one I can't imagine.

I may personally throw a couple of shillings each-way on Kurios at 40/1 but it's not the sort of bet you could have much confidence in.

I'm hoping Seamie Heffernan has another good day and MOTHER EARTH looks quite a big price at 10/1 (bet365 1/5 1,2,3,4) in the Moyglare Stud Stakes.

Pretty Gorgeous was very impressive at the Curragh the last day but the daughter of Lawman really seemed very effective on the soft ground on that occasion and it might not quite see in such a good light today.

Shale and Teresa Mendoza do have a chance of getting close to her but Mother Earth shaped far better than the result last time and didn't quite get a run at a vital stage. She ran on and was beaten five lengths but was probably value for a couple of lengths there and won't have stopped learning and improving yet.

She's worth a small each-way bet.

We'll leave the Goffs Vincent O'Brien National Stakes as I'm fascinated to see these three horses - Master Of The Seas, Lucky Vega and Battleground - line up against each other. We saw a star performance from Pinatubo last year and I hope we see something similar.

If Battleground went 4/1 or so then he'd be the bet and there's a spot of 7/2 around I see but there's obviously confidence in the Godolphin horse so it's a race I'll most likely sit back and savour.

WATCH: Irish Champions Weekend (Curragh Sunday) below

I gave Micro Manage a positive mention in the Friday preview as he was 10/1 ish after declaration time but he's 11/2 best now and probably isn't great value with the ground drying.

I've an open mind on the race and wouldn't be surprised to see Passion go well again. A three-year-old filly won the race last year and the allowances should see Passion there or thereabouts despite the fact she's got it to do still on the figures.

Star Of Orion looks short in the big sales race but obviously has the official rating which gives the impression he could be too good. But anything can pop up in this type of race and I wouldn't have a strong view either way.

Archie Watson has a couple in there and Night On Earth is respected for Andrew Balding given he was 10/1 in the Molecomb. The high draw (20) could actually be a major advantage in this type of race.

KIPLING (6/1 BoyleSports 1/5 1,2,3,4,5) was the Nap after the decs and I'm happy to go in again. He was a well-regarded juvenile, needed his Roscommon comeback and then won really well last time.

He ticks a lot of boxes, being a well-bred son of Galileo, and could still be well ahead of his mark.

I could hardly have picked a tougher race for my best bet of the weekend but we're siding with an in-form team and hopefully can end the meeting on a high! Best of luck if you're having a bet on a really competitive and quality card.

Posted at 0950 BST on 13/09/20

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