Fran Berry selects his best bets for the Irish Cambridgeshire card at the Curragh on Friday with hot favourite Albigna taken to be toppled by one of Joseph O'Brien's.
WATCH: Fran Berry previews today's card at the Curragh
It’s a high-quality card at the Curragh on Friday with the Paddy Power Irish Cambridgeshire the big betting race and it’s supported by three superb Group 3 contests.
Let’s get straight into the feature as I’ve a strong each-way fancy and that’s last year’s winner, JASSAAR, at 10/1 getting the five places (most bookies are going five places, sponsors Paddy Power are six).
He’s a gelding by Dansili and is just 5lb higher than the rating he won off last year. Lightly-raced since, he acquitted himself well in a Leopardstown handicap after his win in this race last season and we’ve seen him just three times this campaign.
We didn’t see him until July and he ran very well at Cork where he ran an eye-catching race on his seasonal debut. After that he went to Naas and was beaten half-a-length by Could Be King and a head by Geological, a horse that has won twice since.
The race didn’t suit him that day as it was quite steadily run and he was once again the horse to take out of it, while he simply didn’t handle the track last time out at Galway.
Last year he came out of Galway and won this race and I’m hoping for the same again, as off 96 I still don’t think we’ve seen the best of him yet, stall two isn’t a bad draw, and we know this race is perfect for him.
The star attraction on the card is Jessica Harrington’s Albigna in the Group 3 Snow Fairy Fillies Stakes at 3.10.
A Group One-winning juvenile on soft ground, she’s got conditions to suit on Friday and this looks the perfect stepping stone to Irish Champions Weekend where she’ll have a couple of options.
She could well be hard to beat, but I cannot resist the 10/1 (bet365 1/5 1,2,3) about Joseph O’Brien’s THUNDERING NIGHTS and she’s worth an each-way bet against the favourite.
The daughter of Night Of Thunder is a fast-improving filly and she was a good winner at Leopardstown last time out when accounting for Amma Grace over Friday’s trip.
Crucially, she won on soft-heavy ground last year in a maiden that’s worked out well and she looks a solid each-way proposition.
Joseph’s horses improve from run to run and with this being her third start of the season she’s fit and firing and could be at her peak for this assignment.
Posted at 1930 BST on 27/08/20
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