There has been a good drop of rain in the last 48 hours and the ground is on the soft side at the Curragh ahead of a good card where we’ll focus on the feature action.
The Listed A.R.M Holding Curragh Sprint Stakes at 3.10 will be between Make A Challenge and Speak In Colours, according to the betting, and they are closely matched on form.
However, I think SOUTHERN HORSE could beat them both given today’s conditions and he’s well worth an each-way bet at 13/2 (bet365 1/5 1,2,3).
This five-year-old has an unusual profile given he raced in Argentina, but his very best form over there was on soft and heavy ground.
Runner-up behind Sceptical at Naas on his reappearance in June when still trained by Jim Bolger, he put in his best performance since arriving in Ireland when a close-up third behind Current Option at Cork two weeks ago on his stable debut for Jessica Harrington.
That day he was drawn on the wrong side of the track and though Shane Foley cut across to the stands’ rail his starting berth had cost him the race.
The trip was seven furlongs that day, but dropping back to six with plenty of cut in the ground should suit and he makes strong each-way appeal.
Finally, PRETTY GORGEOUS is another worth an each-way bet at 4/1 (1/5 1,2,3 General) in the Group 2 A.R.M Holding Debutante Stakes at 3.45.
This is a deep juvenile fillies race and is usually a good Moyglare trial.
Shale beat Pretty Gorgeous last time out at Leopardstown but I think the selection can reverse that form on this much softer ground.
She has a pronounced knee action and conditions look sure to suit, while she wasn’t as well positioned throughout as Shale last time either, but was only beaten a length and a half.
A Joseph O’Brien-trained filly that won by five lengths first-time-out at Bellewstown, that maiden form worked out well with two individual winners and decent placed form to boot coming out of it.
The generally available 4/1 makes her a good each-way bet and we’ll pay a small fine if she does get beat into the places, as I can’t see her being out of the frame.
Posted at 1035 BST on 22/08/20
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