International Horse Racing Today – Ireland, Leopardstown

Horse Racing Picks, News and Opinions

Tom and Rich discuss…

Horse Racing Picks 

Loepardstown

Race 2: “Red Rocks” 2,000 Guineas Trial Stakes

Race 3: “Priory Belle” 1,000 Guineas Trial Stakes

Race 4: P.W. McGrath Memorial Ballysax Stakes

Race 5: Leopardstown Members Handicap

Race 6: Treo Eile Retraining Ireland’s Racehorses Handicap

 

Leopardstown Horse Racing Picks and Commentary

Saturday, April 2 – track listed at: Good to Yielding

 

22 to 1 Tom’s Tips

Race 2 – 7f Ballylinch Stud ‘Red Rocks’ 2,000 Guineas Trial Stakes (Listed Race) (3yo)

5 – Mctigue – Draw 3

Won maiden at this track then placed group 3 race at Doncaster, not the best of luck with being bumped at the start, sat midpack and ask at 3F to pick it up, did until 2F and empty the rest of the race losing by 12L

1 winning effort was by a head at 1 mile

He’s raced at 7F or 1 mile in the 3 starts

Sire ran mainly at distance races on 1 1/16 or greater in group company

Mare ran twice running 3^rd in both efforts at 7F, this is her first foal

4 – Glounthaune – Draw 4

4 starts 2 wins

Winner at 6F and 7F but failed badly at 1 mile

But, that’s a grade 1 and the winner Modern Games is pretty good 2yr winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf

Sire side says sprinter and he was a good one but the mare side says 1 mile plus but she never raced

Trained by Aiden O’Brien any maybe placed right for 3-year-old debut

2 – Dr Zempf – Draw 5

4 starts 1 win 1 second

First time at 7F

His last race was ok as the favorite if you like your horse to run 4^th. Beaten by 2.75L

Group 1 at the Curragh, he ran a good 2^nd to Ebro River

Group 2 at the Curragh, he ran 4^th to Go Bears Go, the runner up in the BC 2-year-old turf sprint

This is a theme for him, beaten by 3L or less

Breeding says he’s a sprinter and the max maybe 7F

So, if ready, he will run a good effort but this maybe he’s max distance

 

Race 3 – 7f Ballylinch Stud “Priory Belle” 1,000 Guineas Trial Stakes (Group 3) (Fillies) (3yo)

4 – Contarelli Chapel – Draw 8

Won maiden then ran 4^th in group 3 race both at Naas

Both time the favorite, her group effort was less than great but

Trainer reported to the stewards that she was “in season” and that may have effective her effort, it must have because the put her away until now

Matured and ready to start a 3-year-old career

If she runs back to her first race, winning by 51/2L, she should beat this bunch

Aiden O’Brien trained with Ryan Moore aboard

Sire was champion sprinter, mare has produced 3 group winning at distances of 7F to 1 ½ miles – 8 foals 3 didn’t win

Favorite

2 – Beautiful Sunshine – Draw 10

First start was not great because she starts well, keen then nothing

She won her next to starts in novice races by 1L and 4L

Then they got aggressive, and ran her at Royal Ascot and 19^th finish beaten by 15L was her last 2-year-old race

Her first 4 races were in the UK, now training in Ireland and first race here

If she runs back to the winning efforts, she will place here

Jockey Rossa Ryan returns for the mount and won on her before

Sire was a group winning sprinter, mare was handicap winner in France at sprint distance, this is her 2^nd foal to race

Starting post sucks

7 – Pennine Hills – Draw 5

Only a maiden winner (first run) and placed 3 times in group and listed races

Last race, she was within the front group until the final furlong and that was it, running 7^th. Race in October

She’s faced the boys and ran 2^nd behind one of my choice in the earlier race

Sire was a champion sprinter; mare was unraced but produced group winner at distance of 1 ½ miles

Big odds but an in the money finish for her first start I can see happening

 

 

Race 4 – 1m2f P.W. McGrath Memorial Ballysax Stakes (Group 3) (3yo)

9 – Vina Sena – Draw 9

Won first start on AW at Dundalk at 1 mile going away by 21/4L

He was very keen from the start, raced green early, push with 1F left and won going away.

Bettors like him, going off at 7/2

What I found interesting that in his barrier trial before this race, he ran 3^rd but 4 next out winners came out of the trial

Sire was group winner in France, mare never won but 1 other foal has and at distance

I think this is a nice spot for debut and win, watch odds and see what interest he attracts

5 – Manu Et Corde – Draw 5

Won maiden on 3^rd try

Then raced in 3 group 2 races in Ireland with best finish in last race 2^nd to Luxembourg

Long odds in all those races with worst finish 5^th (out of 10 runners)

Last race, he was pushed early for positioning, went up for the lead, with 1F out, lost some ground but came back to run second in final strides, trying

Should press the pace here and just needs to finish

Sire was undefeated 5 for 5 all races at 7F group wins, mare won 1 time at distance and the other winning foal won going 1 ½ miles plus, mare sire was Seattle Slew

3 – Bluegrass – Draw 1

Won maiden in 2^nd start at 1 mile, then tried group 3 company going 1 1/16 running 4^th

Raced back of the field, pushed forward at 2F, when to 4^th, headed then came back but no extra to catch the top horses

Aiden O’Brien trained with Ryan Moore up

Sire was champion in UK at distance, mare was a sprinter winning 8 times in group company, this is her first foal

I don’t know where they want to place this horse after the break but in the rear would not be a surprise

 

Race 5 – 1m2f Leopardstown Members Handicap (3yo)

2 – Basil Power – Draw 3

Won last out in handicap on AW at Kempton as the favorite and up by a neck

Dwelt at the start, in traffic until 2F left, moved, and ridden to the lead and held on

Placed in his other 3 races running at the novice level

Same level type race as last out, should be the favorite

Sire was top sprinter, Dam won once at distance and offspring have too

3 – Cyclamen – Draw 6

Ran ok 2^nd last out, he is a non-winner as many are in this race

In that handicap, he raced at the rear, move forward with 2F left, on the lead at 1F and lost the race in the final strides

He’s placed twice and ran 3^rd once

First start of the season and should be right there at the end again

Where? Somewhere in the money

Sire was good distance horse, dam won once at 1 ¼ miles and one other offspring has won at distance

8 – Play By The Rules – Draw 10

He’s first 3 runs were in maiden races and showed little but in those races, he was facing some future group winners

In July of last year, he moved to the handicap level and faired better, running 4^th twice and 2^nd once

He’s a front runner and has been pushed to the lead (or near it) than gave way

This is one I will take a chance on because he did improve and put away to mature for his 3 year old season

Sire was a group winner at 7F but has produced horses that want to go a mile or more

Dam never won and has one other foal who has won from 18 tries

 

Race 6 – 1m Treo Eile Retraining Ireland’s Racehorses Handicap (4yo+ 50-85)

14 – Just For Yuse – Draw 15

Last 3 races have been over the hurtles with any good results so back to flat racing

Much better here, 1 win and 4 thirds at distance of 1 mile or more

He’s only win was a 1 ½ miles

In his last flat race, he was forwardly placed but hanging right throughout the race, the jockey was called in by the stewards to question the riding, not much he could do

He’s had runs in January so maybe some form

We’ll see especially with post draw

11 – Craft Irish – Draw 17

Winner last out in February on AW at Dundalk as the favorite at 7F

Raced in the back of the field, pushed at 2F and won going away by 21/2L

First race of career, also on AW, he ran 2^nd dwelt at the start, ran in the rear and then moved forward late to lead but couldn’t hold off the winner

Moving to the yielding turf shouldn’t be a problem for him

Terrible post draw

2 – Jungle Cove – Draw 3

Last race was a last race, not much except for a workout, slow into stride, raced wide and never really in the race, jockey called in by the stewards said the start was a best slow.

2 prior starts were better, a win in July and September and ok 4^th.

He had no interested in the last race, but if going to run, he generally runs close up

2 wins for 13 starts, 1 on turf, 1 on AW

If he’s interested, he can run in the money

 

Rich’s Ranks

Race 2: “Red Rocks” 2,000 Guineas Trial Stakes

3 – Glounthaune

1 – Dr Zempf

4 – Howth

8 – The Acropolis

 

Race 3: “Priory Belle” 1,000 Guineas Trial Stakes

1 – Agartha

8 – Sacred Bridge

6 – Panama Red

5 – Homeless Songs

 

Race 4: P.W. McGrath Memorial Ballysax Stakes

1  – Duke De Sessa

6 – Piz Badile

8 – Swan Bay

2 – Absolute Ruler

 

Race 5: Leopardstown Members Handicap

2 – Brasil Power

8 – Play By The Rules

3 – Cyclamen

1 – Enthrallment

 

Race 6: Treo Eile Retraining Ireland’s Racehorses Handicap

8 – Eloquent Arthur

11 – Craft Irish

4 – Doolin Dancer

15 – Khafaaq