Irish Horse Racing Tips – Wednesday, July 10
Gowran Park hosts Ireland’s only meeting on Wednesday. We have picked out three selections which appeal for the evening’s action.
Lyrical Poetry (5.20 Gowran Park)
The J P McManus owned Didn’thavemuchtodo has been a remarkable improver in her last two starts after a slow start to her career. However, she is up against a genuine Group race performer in this Listed contest.
That horse is LYRICAL POETRY. Like the narrow favourite, Johnny Murtagh’s charge was beaten comfortably on her first two starts, although she was thrown into Listed company very quickly after finishing a respectable fourth on her debut.
She began her three-year-old seasons superbly over course and distance, routing her rivals in a fillies’ maiden by 5½ lengths. Thereafter, she ran the then 111-rated Hannibal Barca close in the Group 3 Gallinule Stakes and there were some very decent horses in behind her that day.
Her trainer tilted ambitiously at a Group 1 last time, where she finished seventh in the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh, but she held her own that day. Back in this class, she is highly respected and as a prominent racer, should be very at home at this track once more.
Victoria Road (5.55 Curragh)
It is never that original to side with Aidan O’Brien in Irish maidens, but there will be some serious rethinking at Ballydoyle if VICTORIA ROAD does not get off the mark here.
The likes of Clounmacon and Remind could challenge him for favouritism, which would make his price all the more tempting. He may have had four goes, which may put a few punters off, but the last two have been in very strong, open juvenile contests.
Though only fourth on debut over further than 7f, he can be excused on the soft-to-heavy going, as well as it being his first start. Since then, he has been runner-up at the Curragh in a 6f maiden, second again in an incentive race at Naas and fourth in the Ballyhane Stakes, finishing in front of the likes of Rousing Encore, a two-time winner for Richard Fahey who was sixth in the Group 2 Coventry Stakes.
There is serious depth to that race despite it not holding Pattern status and Victoria Road is likely to be better over 7f now. If he is, there may not be a rival who can match him.
Nebo (6.30 Gowran Park)
This is a bit of a wild swing at what could be a substantial price, but NEBO won what was effectively this race a year ago and the seven-year-old is just too tempting to repeat.
That is primarily because Tom Hogan’s charge won this off a mark of 99 last term when making all. Fast forward 12 months and he is rated just 88 this time around, a full 11lb lower. It goes without saying that that is a huge drop off.
His form since gives reason to his plummet down the ratings, but he was not uncompetitive in a Listed contest at Cork last September. It is mainly due to an unsuccessful spell in Bahrain, coupled with two heavy defeats in July, that have seen his rating justifiably fall.
However, these conditions suited him so well for a 2¼-length success last year. He simply galloped away on the front end, which is so often the way to race at Gowran Park and there may just be a chance that this has been the aim since returning to Ireland.