Saturday sees the middle day of the three-day Irish Derby Festival at the Curragh, with four top class Group races taking place, including the Airlie Stud Stakes, Anglesey Stakes, Dubai International Stakes, and the main feature – the Pretty Polly Stakes.
Bet on horse racing at the Curragh with William Hill
One of the biggest racecourses in Ireland, some of the most prestigious flat races are held at the Curragh throughout the season and there is a feast of action for punters to get stuck into this weekend. Here, our racing tipster casts his eye over the Group action on Saturday:
1.45pm – 6f Airlie Stud Stakes (Group 2)
LADY IMAN (NAP), who was a leading fancy for the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot last week, lines up at the Curragh this weekend after missing bypassing that Royal engagement.
Ger Lyons considered several options for the unbeaten Starman filly, before coming down on the Airlie Stud Stakes, before she steps up to Group One class.
Lyons has earmarked the Airlie/Phoenix/Moyglare or the Cheveley Park later on for his smart filly, so he must feel quietly confident all will go well on Saturday with her.
2.20pm – 6½f Anglesey Stakes (Group 3)
Aidan O’Brien’s FLUSHING MEADOWS is expected to serve up yet another Curragh treat in the Anglesey Stakes this weekend.
The Wootton Bassett-colt surged to an impressive length-and-a-half success in a six-furlong EBF maiden at the Curragh 24 days ago, but a tilt at Royal Ascot was deemed too soon for the smart youngster.
The ace Irish trainer certainly knows how to being his young horses through, and this Group 3 comes at exactly the right time for him. He should prove to be a popular pick in our horse racing betting.
2.55pm – 1m2f Dubai International Stakes (Group 3)
This Group 3 contest will officially be titled: “The Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai International Stakes in honour of Kevin Prendergast”, in honour of the late trainer. Curragh based Prendergast won the race twice with Mustameet in 2006 and Decado in 2007.
This year’s renewal can go the way of Noel Meade’s experienced eight-year-old LAYFAYETTE, who has run at this racecourse on numerous occasions and landed the Royal Whip here over the same distance in 2023.
Layfayette, ridden by Chris Hayes for Mrs Patricia Hunt, was the winner of the Irish Lincolnshire in 2021, and has still continued to race at a high level ever since. In fact, the French Navy-gelding has clocked up an impressive 9 victories from his 42 starts thus far, making him a very solid bet the majority of the time.
3.30pm – 1m2f Pretty Polly Stakes (Group 1)
French-raider SURVIE looks well-overpriced in our sports betting for the Pretty Polly Stakes, given her close proximity to last year’s Arc runner-up in the Prix Corrida at Saint-Cloud back in May.
Survie was of course beaten twice herself by Bluestocking at Longchamp last season, but the Churchill-filly really seems to have matured and developed over the winter, and I am expecting her to have an excellent four-year-old season, especially in races against her own sex.
*Odds subject to change – prices accurate at time of writing*
