Leopardstown Horse Racing Tips – Sunday, May 8
The action in Ireland on Sunday centres around Leopardstown, which hosts an eight-race Flat card, that features a trio of Group 3 contests. Our Irish horse racing expert has identified his top bets on the day which you can check out below.
Panama Red (4.05, Cornelscourt Stakes) 6/1
Agartha did most of the donkey work in the 1000 Guineas Trial here last month but it might be more difficult to dominate here from stall 10, and in any case, this looks like a good opportunity for PANAMA RED to get back to winning ways.
Ger Lyons’ filly was twice a juvenile winner last year, scoring in Listed company at this venue in the 7f Ingabelle Stakes when accounting for the now 109-rated Limiti Di Greccio.
She could only muster sixth in the aforementioned 1000 Guineas Trial on reappearance last month, finishing just under 4l beind Agartha, but everything about this filly suggests that she’s going to benefit greatly from going up to a mile and it’s hoped that comeback run will have brought her on plenty.
Irish Horse Racing Tips. Colin Keane and Panama Red can team up to score at Leopardstown on Sunday.
Stone Age (4.35, Derby Trial Stakes) 15/8
Unsurprisingly a race that Aidan O’Brien has dominated in recent years, landing four of the last five renewals, and his STONE AGE is backed with confidence to enhance that in 2022.
This colt runs in the two-tone green silks of Peter Brant and somehow remained a maiden at 2, despite finishing second in the Group 1 Criterium at Saint-Cloud in October.
Stone Age quickly corrected that when bolting up on his 3yo reappearance at Navan in March, and whilst this is a significant step up on that Stone Age already has shown the form that shows him to be up to this level.
Ryan Moore’s mount may ultimately stay 1m4f, but at present, this intermediate distance appears to be his best trip, and that comment possibly doesn’t apply to the majority of these rivals.
Irish Horse Racing Tips. Aidan O’Brien can claim the Derby Trial with Stone Age.
Georgeville (5.05, Amethyst Stakes) 4/1
This is a huge step up in class for Ivy League and he looks like a favourite begging to be taken on.
Real Appeal holds obvious claims at a track his rider reports him to be “10lb better at” than any other course, but whether a mile just stretches his stamina remains a nagging doubt and on his running with GEORGEVILLE in the course and distance Desmond Stakes last August, he appears held.
Ger Lyons’s 6yo got off the mark at the sixth attempt for these connections when landing a 1m2f Listed event at this track, and he had shown some fine form in defeat prior to that.
Although only eighth on seasonal reappearance at the Curragh last month that finishing position would have been almost inconceivable when Georgeville travelled up menacingly two-out and it simply looked as though he was badly in need of the run that day.
Back in trip on a track he enjoys, Georgeville rates the strongest bet across the Sunday cards.
Irish Horse Racing Tips. Ger Lyons can send out Georgeville to land the Amethyst Stakes.