Curragh Irish Guineas Festival tips: Best bets for day 3 on Sunday, May 26
- Enda McElhinney
- 25 May 2024
The third and final afternoon of action at the Curragh concludes the Irish Guineas Festival on Sunday with the fillies' Classic centre stage on another quality card.
Eight races from Ireland's Flat HQ will run from 13:25-17:25, with the Irish 1000 Guineas at 15:45, preceded by the Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup.
Enda McElhinney had a 128/1 treble on day one at the Curragh and has tips once more for Planet Sport readers on the concluding afternoon.
Don't forget to check out the full racecard, results and live odds in Planet Sport's racing live centre.
Good luck and please gamble responsibly.
(Please be aware selections could become non-runners after article's first publication)
Curragh selections in full:
13:25 (Curragh) Cold Hearted
Heavens Gate was second to a well-backed newcomer on debut at Navan over 5f this month and should improve upped in trip but the pair that beat Cold Hearted into third on debut at Naas over this trip have since finished first and second in a 6f Group 3 at that same venue and that is the strongest form line. Jessica Harrington's team are in flying form and another winner beckons.
14:00 (Curragh) Zaynab
Sluice should have more to offer on handicap bow for Joseph O'Brien but will be facing the fastest surface of her career and, in any case, the claims of Zaynab are tough to ignore.
Gordon Elliott's daughter of Phoenix Of Spain hit the line impressively when landing a 7f maiden here five weeks ago.
That form has been advertised handsomely since and her pedigree suggests she will be at home on a faster surface. Her sire was a 2000 Guineas winner here in 2019 and this filly can rate higher than 82.
14:35 (Curragh) You Send Me
A Royal Ascot Group 2 winner early last summer, Rogue Millennium lost her way a bit afterwards and has left Tom Clover to join Joseph O'Brien over the winter.
She has a big chance if at her best but there are dangers lurking for the favourite. You Send Me has mostly raced on slower ground, bar the 1000 Guineas here last season, and Fozzy Stack's filly is deserving of some support after being nabbed by re-opposing Gregarina over 7f here last time.
You Send Me travelled best and perhaps was committed for home too soon. She can avenge that defeat now.
15:10 (Curragh) Auguste Rodin
Things didn't go his way in Dubai in the spring but Ryan Moore ensured Auguste Rodin didn't have a hard time once the bird had flown in that Sheema Classic.
Last summer's Derby hero at Epsom and here, the Deep Impact colt has shown before he can bounce back fast from a setback. His trainer/jockey won this last year and, on ratings, Auguste Rodin should have this field covered.
15:45 (Curragh) Pearls And Rubies
Opera Singer was the best of these at two, signing off with a Group 1 win in France for her top connections. She is the one to beat on that form but there are plenty dangers lurking in this high-quality comeback.
Dermot Weld is bidding to win this for a third straight year and aims once-raced maiden winner Azada at the target, but Pearls And Rubies signed off last season with a cracking second in the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket and this No Nay Never filly could have more to come now tackling a mile.
She may not be the Ballydoyle first-string – or even the second – but she could be a lively each-way player in the Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas.
16:15 (Curragh) Ecureuil Secret
Lots of promising sorts here and plenty untapped potential. Chief Little Rock is very solid, though Ryan Moore passes on him in favour of once-raced Dundalk maiden winner Mundi.
The Equator and Spoken Truth are likely to improve but so, too, is Ecureuil Secret for Eddie Lynam. The Wootton Bassett colt won a Leopardstown maiden on debut last month and was stepped up into Listed company over this C&D three weeks ago.
He did a lot wrong in that race and was still only two-lengths down at the line. Oisin Murphy takes over here and they might be capable of a sizeable step forward.
16:50 (Curragh) Sidiza
Aidan O'Brien fires a trio at this maiden and both Lily Hart and North Africa could be improvers after one run each, with Ryan Moore preferring the former.
Dermot Weld's Aga Khan-owned newcomer Sidiza is given the nod however. She has a likeable pedigree and is Group-race entered ahead of this debut run, so the Master of Rosewell House is likely expecting her to go well first time out.
17:25 (Curragh) Grappa Nonino
Both Harsh (Joseph O'Brien) and Glan (Gordon Elliott) have been excelling over hurdles most recently but have to be respected back on the level in this tough finale over 1m6f. Bay Of Sanibel is improving with each run for Jessica Harrington and a 4lb rise for her recent Navan win is far from prohibitive.
Grappa Nonino was a winner over C&D last season and has a recent hurdles spin at Punchestown behind him to aid match sharpness ahead of this return here. He should give his running at a fair price in a wide open race.
