Jane Mangan’s William Hill blog: Irish Champions Festival Day Two Best Bets

William Hill ambassador Jane Mangan is back to preview the second day of the Irish Champions Festival from the Curragh.

Curragh, Sunday

Let’s kick off the second day of the Irish Champions Festival! Four Group 1s to get stuck into, and the rain may well have a big impact. Plenty is forecast, and we could see some non-runners and changes in form after what has been a quick-ground summer.

The Bold Lad sprint handicap (1:30pm) over six furlongs opens proceedings at the Curragh, and this race looks tailor-made for Keke. He has had some awful luck this season in big-field sprints, including last time when he made up plenty of ground to take second behind Sarahmae. He’s a course-and-distance winner, and with Billy Lee back aboard, I think he’ll take a lot of stopping.

The Group 1 Moyglare Stakes (2:40pm) is a fabulous contest, won last year by Lake Victoria. With a slight doubt about the participation of Venetian Sun, I like Composing. She is the best filly in these conditions in Ireland, having beaten Sky Dance and Suzie Songs, and she appears to be the first string here, suggesting connections prefer her to Beautify. It’s Composing for me in the Moyglare.

There’s a huge field assembled for the Group 1 Flying Five Stakes (3:15pm), and these sprints have been difficult to make sense of this year. Two Stars is the one I like. He’ll appreciate the rain. It’s his first run in Group company, so it’s a massive step up, and he has a lot to find on official ratings with the likes of Asfoora and Bucanero Fuerte. However, they may not appreciate the easier going, and I think he can run a big race for Joey Sheridan and Fozzy Stack.

The Group 1 National Stakes (3:50pm) is a fabulous race, with a handful of interesting UK contenders arriving to take their chance. Aidan O’Brien fields three, but I like one of the raiders – Zavateri. For me, Eve Johnson Houghton’s runner is one of the best two-year-olds in training. He conceded weight all round at Goodwood when beating Morris Dancer on slower ground, showing he won’t be inconvenienced by the likely conditions. He hasn’t been overraced and is an unbeaten three from three, with wins at Salisbury, the July Stakes and the Vintage Stakes. He’s the one for me.

The Group 1 Irish St Leger (4:25pm) is next. It’s disappointing not to see some of the older horses here – Sober and Jan Brueghel are notable defections – however, Aidan O’Brien is still well represented. Al Riffa looks the one to beat, but I’m going to take him on with Amiloc. It’s his first attempt at the trip, but he looks as though he’ll have no issues staying. The ground could be a worry, as his victories have come on synthetic surfaces and quicker going, but he is very unexposed. He’s getting eight pounds from the likes of Al Riffa, and I think he’s a vastly improving gelding. We haven’t seen him since he beat Zahrann at Royal Ascot, and hopefully he can boost that form in the Irish Champion Stakes! Amiloc to upset the O’Briens in the Irish St Leger.

My strongest fancy comes in the Group 2 Blandford Stakes (5:00pm): I really like Red Letter. She was a high-class two-year-old who placed in the Moyglare. She ran well in the Guineas at the start of the season, but it was her run in the Snow Fairy that really impressed me last time. I don’t think the extra furlong will be any issue here. I think she wins.