Leading Irish form judge Fran Berry looks ahead to today's quality card at the Curragh, featuring the Irish Cambridgeshire.
Racing betting tips: Saturday August 31
1pt win Hanalia in 3.25 Curragh at 5/2 (General)
1pt e.w. Nyman in 4.00 Curragh at 13/2 (General 1/5 1,2,3)
1pt e.w. Old Faithful in 4.35 at 28/1 (General1/5 1,2,3,4,5,6)
1pt e.w. I'm Spartacus in 5.10 at 8/1 (General 1/5 1,2,3,4,5)
As is always the case at the Curragh, the two-year-old races on Saturday are really interesting and the opening Kara Quinn Memorial Irish EBF Maiden looks no different.
There are a number of well-bred newcomers but the performance of Acapulco Bay first time out was highly promising one, he finished off strongly to be second to stablemate Delacroix, and he'll be tough to beat second time out.
Acapulco Bay has entries in a multitude of Group-race entries and looks an exciting prospect going forward.
The Newtownanner Stud Irish EBF Stakes has produced several top fillies over the years, including Opera Singer, and this year's renewal is another interesting contest.
Given the way Dreamy won on debut at Goodwood, having shown inexperience on the day, was quite taking and with the benefit of that outing around the twists and turns of that track, she should be more streetwise this time.
Plenty of the others could be improvers but Dreamy is the one I'll be with.
It's Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore again in race three as Ides Of March sets a very good standard in the Round Tower Stakes and he's not an odds-on favourite I'll be looking to oppose.
Without him - or in the forecast reckoning - Wise Men Say could be interesting for Jessica Harrington as connections are obviously happy to potentially blow a low rating of 79 and he's likely to be ridden relatively cold and look to pick up any of the pieces.
On a day when it could pay to side with several of the favourites, HANALIA drops back a furlong in the Snow Fairy Fillies Stakes and she looks well up to winning this Group 3 for Johnny Murtagh.
The form of her Irish Oaks sixth reads well at this level and victory here will tee her up nicely for the Blanford Stakes back at the Curragh on day two of the Irish Champions Festival.
The seven furlong nursery looks open enough and Joseph O'Brien's recent course winner Girl Like You sets a fair standard stepping back up a furlong in trip.
But given the market, NYMAN rates an each-way proposition following a promising fifth behind the reopposing top weight at the Curragh.
Henry De Bromhead's colt was badly outpaced when the pace quickened over six last time but came home nicely without being unduly punished and I reckon he represents a bit of value on better terms today.
As ever, the Paddy Power Supporting Cancer Trials Irish Cambridgeshire is cracking race and contains a mixture of progressive sorts and experienced milers.
A lot of them ran in the big handicap at Galway and it's highly interesting to see Colin Keane on State Actor as, while he could do the weight on Genuine Article for his father, he has ridden Plume Noire recently and will have had other offers too but he stays loyal to State Actor.
He was impressive here at the Guineas meeting and when beaten into fourth off the revised mark back here on Derby weekend, it was a strange race as two of them went off like mad and really stretched the field out.
Given it was his fourth run in quite a short space of time, he probably quite well in fourth and is entitled to have been freshened up a bit during the subsequent break.
There are a few unknown quantities further down the weights including Vera's Secret who has the profile of one who could improve again markedly on what we saw from her in a lesser contest here in July.
Coeur d'Or is a battle-hardened sort but the one to back at a price is OLD FAITHFUL. Wayne Lordan takes the ride on a horse who is obviously quite quirky but also highly talented, underlined by his win at Navan in June.
He has bombed out at Royal Ascot and Galway since but showed his true colours again when runner-up at Leopardstown in between those no-shows and on a going day this sort of set-up could play into his hands ideally. He's worth chancing at a price.
In the wide open apprentice handicap, the likes of Dynamic Force and Nikki Swango are interesting but I'M SPARTACUS has shown a strong level of form in handicaps of this nature recently.
Getting back up to six furlongs on a stiff track will suit based on recent five-furlong evidence and he's another horse I'm keen to have on side.
Probably the most important event of the day is the Pat Smullen Cancer Trials Ireland Charity Race and it's amazing to think it's already been nearly four years since his passing.
It's highly poignant to see the name 'P J Smullen' on the racecard next to By Your Side, who will be Paddy Smullen's (Pat's son) first ride proper on the race track.
It'll be an emotional day for many people and if you're having a good day on the punting side of things then do please spare anything you can towards the Cancer Trials Ireland cause.
Published at 0920 BST on 31/08/24
More from Sporting Life
Safer gambling
We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.
If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.
Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.
