Former Group 1-winning jockey and top pundit Fran Berry looks ahead to the key action
Former Group 1-winning jockey and top pundit Fran Berry looks ahead to the key action

Fran Berry: Queen can be crowned | Curragh free preview & tips Sunday June 28


Fran Berry hit the target with Buckhurst and Ancient Spirit yesterday and our man in Ireland has two more tips for the Curragh this afternoon.

Recommended Bets, Sunday June 28

1pt e.w Queen Jo Jo in 4.15 Curragh at 8/1

1pt e.w King’s Vow in 5.45 Curragh at 16/1

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


QUEEN JO JO looks overpriced at 8/1 in the Weatherbys Ireland Greenlands Stakes at the Curragh this afternoon (4.15).

She’s better with cut in the ground and it’s been raining steadily here all morning with the going now yielding.

Kevin Ryan’s filly has form at the track thanks to her good close-up third behind Soffia last June and she was a bit unlucky on her comeback run behind Liberty Beach at Haydock.

She had to wait for a gap behind a wall of horses that day and it was her first run for almost a year, so it was highly promising.

Admittedly, she has a bit to find with a few of these on official ratings, but the home raiders have plenty to fear from this potential improver that hails from a yard deeply blessed with top-sprinting talent.

Make A Challenge is the one to beat and is a worthy favourite, but I think he’s vulnerable over six furlongs at the Curragh, he’s better over five for my money, and Queen Jo Jo looks a good each-way alternative.

KING’S VOW ran far better than his finishing position would suggest at this track last time out and he’s worth an each-way interest at 16/1 in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Handicap (5.45).

He’s a very slow starter at the stalls, but today’s race is a flag start which should help enormously, and he dwelt from a wide draw over 1m4f last time out which didn’t aid his cause.

Prior to that he won twice over two miles at Dundalk and the form of those races worked out pretty well, so back up to that trip, without stalls, he makes some each-way appeal off top weight.

Finally, I have no bet in the Group One Alwasmiyah Pretty Polly Stakes at 4.45 but I was toying the idea of getting with Roca Roma somehow.

Magical is obviously the one to beat, but Fleeting is very hard to win with and giving 12lb to the three-year-olds might be a tough task for her.

Cayenne Pepper could be better for the run, so Roca Roma without the favourite might be an option.

She only won a maiden last week, but she’s an improving daughter of Australia for Ger Lyons and she could be the one to give the favourite most to do.

I was hoping for a bit more than 7/2 in the without market, though, so we’ll leave the race alone.

Posted at 1028 BST on 28/06/20


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