We’ve got our Friday TV tips for the ITV Racing coverage of Newbury and the Curragh.
After three day’s live TV racing last weekend for the Guineas weekend, the ITV Racing cameras return with more televised racing action on Friday with a nine-race schedule of races from Newbury and the Curragh.
The main event of the day comes from Ireland where the Irish 2000 Guineas takes centre stage amid Friday’s coverage where five races will be shown live from the premier Irish flat racing track. Meanwhile at Newbury there’ll be four races live from the Berkshire venue and while there’s no Pattern races on the agenda there is plenty of competitive handicap action.
Ed Chamberlain and the team will be on hand to cover all the action with their usual expert tips, insights and post-race analysis on all the racing action, and Brian Healy gives his Friday TV tips for all nine races from Newbury and the Curragh featuring the Irish 2000 Guineas.
FRIDAY TV TIPS 12 JUNE – NEWBURY & CURRAGH
4:40 Curragh – Irish Stallion Farms EBF (C & G) Maiden (Plus 10 Race) (3yo) 1m2f
LOUGH CUTRA has run well on both his starts, showing a decent level of ability when finishing a close third behind Russian Emperor in testing ground at Naas back in March.
The Oasis Dream colt travelled well into that contest where he led into the final furlong although he couldn’t match the efforts of the front pair once headed. The winner has helped the form by finding only one too good in a Group Three earlier in the week and there could be more to come from Ger Lyons’ charge here who is open to plenty of improvement.
His debut form also looks strong and he hinted that he might be suited by more of a stamina test in that latest run and he’s sure to be a lot sharper with that under his belt.
The quicker ground here is a slight worry but if he handles the conditions then this longer trip could prove a catalyst for better and he can open his account at the third time of asking.
4:55 Newbury – It’s Not Rocket Science With MansionBet Handicap Cl3 (3yo 0-90) 1m
JOHAN looked a smart prospect when scoring impressive victories at Lingfield and Musselburgh last term, scoring by six lengths on the latter occasion. William Haggas’ charge then stepped up to Pattern company where he cut little ice behind Military March in the Group Three Autumn Stakes.
He raced quite freely that day and possibly failed to fully get home in the testing conditions; but now faced with a less testing surface he could be worth chancing to bounce back now making his handicap debut where a mark of 88 ought to be within his scope.
This is competitive however and a case can be made for plenty of his rivals, but he had looked progressive prior to his defeat and he could be worth another chance.
Our Friday TV tips features a runner from William Haggas’ top stable.
5:10 Curragh – Equine MediRecord Handicap (3yo+) 6f
The consistent ICE COLD IN ALEX deserves to get his head back in front and Ken Condon’s charge could prove the one to side with in ths competitive handicap contest.
The Olden Times gelding won twice during the 2018 campaign which included at this venue and he ran well on all five starts last term without winning although he did make the frame each time. He was last seen finishing only a half-length third behind Current Option and he has a big swing at the weights with Verhoyen who beat him over this course and distance last July.
He turns out here from the same rating as when posting his latest effort at Leopardstown where a subsequent winner was behind him and guaranteed a good pace to aim at here then he can continue to run well and ought to be in the shake up again.
5:25 Newbury – MansionBet’s Royal Ascot Special Handicap Cl2 (4yo+ 0-100) 7f
BREATH OF AIR scored his sole career win at this venue back in September 2018 and while things haven’t gone to plan since for the Bated Breath gelding he could be worth chancing to come good again back at this venue.
He beat subsequent dual-Group Three winner Mohaather when registering that first success and while he’s not progressed only similar lines in his subsequent runs it might be too soon to write him off.
Charlie Hills’ charge failed to build on a promising reappearance effort at Doncaster last July where he finished third to Kaeso and he disappointed in his three subsequent runs which included failing to beat a rival at Leicester behind Chatham House.
He’s since been gelded from that last outing and he’s slipped further in the weights to a mark which could prove exploitable if he can find some improvement this term. The booking of Ryan Moore for this outing also suggests connections are hopeful of a big performance and back at the scene of his only win to date he might yet bounce back and begin to fulfill his early promise.
5:40 Curragh – Anglesey Lodge Equine Hospital Handicap (3yo) 7f
HONG KONG could be worth giving another chance having endured a terrible passage when last seen at Naas in March and Aidan O’Brien’s charge can do better.
The American Pharoah colt had won at the same venue in October, beating Johan Zoffani when equipped with blinkers for the first time; that race has thrown up a couple of winners since and he subsequently wasn’t disgraced when tried in Group Three company behind Kenzai Warrior in the Horris Hill Stakes.
Possibly just in need of his reappearance in March he was running on when badly hampered and lost his position, and he was wasn’t given too hard a time having lost all chance in the melee. He could prove better than that and the assessor might be taking a chance easing him 2lbs in the weights.
Although he’s yet to tackle ground as fast as this having always raced on softer conditions he could post an improved effort if this quicker ground doesn’t inconvenience and in a competitive handicap he can make his presence felt if enjoying a bit more luck in running.
5:55 Newbury – Watch And Bet With MansionBet At Newbury Handicap Cl2 (4yo+ 0-100) 1m4f
Course and distance winner SLEEPING LION got back on the winning trail with success at Doncaster last September and James Fanshawe’s charge can follow up on his return to action.
The Teofilo gelding had been in decent heart without managing to get his head in front earlier in the campaign, going close at Ascot over two miles behind Themaxwecan and posting a solid eighth in the competitive Sky Bet Handicap behind Eddystone Rock where he was only beaten four lengths.
He had three-parts of a length to spare over Charles Kingsley when taking the Mallard Handicap latest and a 3lbs rise in the weights for that success could prove lenient given he has gone well fresh in the past.
This is a competitive heat but he ought to make his presence felt dropping back in distance and with the conditions unlikely to present a problem so he could deliver a big performance for our Friday TV tips column.
Sleeping Lion (right) is one of our top Friday TV tips for success.
6:10 Curragh – Coolmore Ten Sovereigns Gallinule Stakes (Group 3) (3yo) 1m2f
Jessica Harrington has her runners in flying form following the restart of the Irish flat season and GOLD MAZE can continue the trainers good spell of form by taking this Group Three prize.
The Golden Horn colt has shaped well on both his starts to date, finishing fifth to Irish 2000 Guineas contender Sinawann over one mile here last August and showing the benefit of that run to post a very good third behind Innisfree in the Group Two Beresford Stakes next time.
Both those pieces of form stack up well and he’s sure to benefit from this stiffer test of stamina so may well improve as a result stepping up in trip with plenty of stamina in his pedigree being by Golden Horn out of a Galileo mare who was a winner over twelve furlongs.
He’ll have to show he can handle the quicker ground having raced only on softer ground thus far; but if the underfoot conditions don’t catch him out then he’s entitled to post a big run with his yard in top form and there could be plenty yet to come from him in time.
6:25 Newbury – MansionBet’s Beaten By A Head Handicap Cl3 (4yo+ 0-95) 1m2f
JUST THE MAN might have been stretched by the longer trip at Lingfield on New Years’ Eve where he eventually finished fifth behind Furzig; but Clive Cox’s charge had won two of his three previous starts on the all-weather and might be worth chancing to deliver back on turf.
The Rajsaman gelding has only once finished out of the first three in six starts on turf and he registered a win over course and distance in July when beating Incredulous by one length. He had made the frame at this venue over one mile on his seasonal debut behind Fox Chairman previously so he has proven he can go well fresh.
He’s 1lb lower here returning to turf than when posting his latest outing where he met trouble in running before finding himself caught for pace so that run might be best forgiven. Now back down in trip he could post a better effort and with his yard in decent form it wouldn’t come as a surprise to see a bold bid.
Siskin heads the Irish 2000 Guineas betting market.
6:40 Curragh – Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas (Group 1) (Entire Colts & Fillies) (3yo) 1m
The feature race of the day where much of the attention will be on Siskin and whether he can maintain his unbeaten record although there has to be a concern over the stamina of Ger Lyons’ star who tries this trip for the first time.
He also boiled over in the stalls at Newmarket ahead of the Middle Park Stakes, forcing his withdrawal from that race. It might then be worth taking him on and ARMORY looks the pick of the Aidan O’Brien battalion for this race and gets the vote to put a dent in Siskin’s record.
The Galileo colt proved himself a classy operator last term, winning three times which included here in the Irish Futurity Stakes prior to acquitting himself well in defeat behind both Pinatubo and Victor Ludorum respectively in runs here and Longchamp.
The latter came over this trip in soft ground and he may still have been feeling those exertions when coming off worst in a match with Alson in heavy ground back at Longchamp in the Criterium International.
He can’t be judged too harshly on that run and he can fare better back on better ground with this one mile trip promising to suit. He has a couple of pounds to find on official ratings with Siskin, but he won’t want for stamina at the business end and he should make his presence felt here where he can successfully land the top prize and round off our Friday TV tips with a welcome winner.