Irish Guineas Weekend

We have three Group 1s to look forward to at the Curragh this weekend.

Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas

The first is the Irish 2000 Guineas on Saturday, where Aidan O’Brien’s Gstaad heads the market at 4/9 after his second at Newmarket, where he no doubt bumped into one in Bow Echo. The market has it right; he was 8L better than Distant Storm, and he’ll no doubt confirm the form here.

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Tattersalls Gold Cup

On Sunday, the Tattersalls Gold Cup will see Minnie Hauk go off at similarly prohibitive odds to Gstaad at 1/2. A triple Oaks winner last year and only touched off by Dayrz in the Arc, she proved her well-being by taking the G2 Mooresbridge Stakes here a couple of weeks ago.

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Four travel from England to take her on. Roger Varian’s Saddadd. Ed Walker’s Almaqam, George Scott’s Bay City Roller, and Karl Burke’s Royal Rhyme all have place claims, with Almaqam, who beat Ombudsman and got to within 4L of Caladagan last year, heading the pecking order.

Jessica Harrington’s Green Impact, Robson De Aguiar Tiberius Thunder, and Edward Hamilton from the Ballydoyle stable, who’ll likely make the running, make up the field.

Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas

The Irish 1000 Guineas is not quite as clear-cut.

Ryan Moore has opted to partner True Love, winner of the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket under Wayne Lordan, in preference to Precise, beaten 5L finishing seventh, who went off favourite. You can understand the thinking. True Love had won a Queen Mary over 5f at Royal Ascot and had to overcome stamina doubts going into Newmarket. She got the mile and won really well; however, Precise tired and will come on in spades from the outing. Beautify also represents Ballydoyle; she got to within ¾L of Precise in the Moyglare Stakes last year.

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Travelling from England, Godolphin’s Charlie Appleby trained Abashiri, who did very well to finish fourth in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, having only had one run previously. Also travelling, Jack Channon’s Sukanya, the winner of the Fred Darling. She missed Newmarket, as did Richard Hughes’ America Queen, second in the Nell Gwyn. Karl Burke’s Hope Queen makes her seasonal debut after winning both her starts last year.

Irish interest extends beyond Ballydoyle with Magny Cours representing Daniel McLoughlin. His filly finished ¼L second to True Love in the Priory Belle Stakes at Leopardstown over 7f with Joe Murphy’s Pivitol Attack a further 1¾L back in third. Donnacha O’Brien sends Kensington Lane, who advertised the form of the Priory Belle (finished seventh) when going on to take the Athasi Stakes here over a mile from Paddy Toomey’s Black Cavier Gold with Joseph O’Brien’s Sinmara back in fourth.

Conclusion

The Irish 2000 Guineas on Saturday should go the way of Ballydoyle. Gstaad was high class as a juvenile and showed he was a cut above the rest when finishing second to a remarkable performance from Bow Echo at Newmarket. He should, as the market suggests, win this. Karl Burke’s Alparslan won the Greenham Stakes from Zavateri (he beat Gstaad in the National Stakes last year) and chose to bypass Newmarket. He’s the one for the forecast.

On Sunday, in the Tattersalls Gold Cup, Minnie Hauk is a similar story. Her win in the Moorsebridge, coupled with the performance of Daryz in Paris last evening (his second G1 of the year), makes her form of last year look even better. Almaqam is the one to chase her home.

In the Irish 1000 Guineas, it must have been a tight call for Ryan.

He has gone for True Love over Precise. Preference here is for the latter, given her form last year. She will stripe fitter and come on a ton from Newmarket. Magny Cours was second to Alparslan in a sales race here last year and ran an eye-catching race behind True Love in the Priory Belle on return this year. She can get into the mix for a place.

Recommendation

Irish 2000 Guineas

Gstaad, Alparslan (Straight Forecast)

Tattersalls Gold Cup

Minnie Hawk, Almaqam (Straight Forecast)

Irish 1000 Guineas

Precise 7/2 win

Magny Cours 25/1 ew

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