Sunday Curragh Tips: Best Bets On 15th September At Irish Champions Festival
Irish Champions Festival threw up some thrilling races on Saturday at Leopardstown, and on Sunday we are treated to more action at the Curragh. The Flying Five and Irish St Leger are the headline Group 1 attractions. Billy Grimshaw has three selections after finding the Irish Champion Stakes and St Leger winners yesterday, all in Group 1 races.
#AD 18+ New customers only. 7 days to place qualifying bet of £10+ at 1/1 (2.0) to receive 4 x Free Bets: x1 £10 Football, x1 £10 Acca, x 1 £10 BetBuilder, x1 £10 Horse Racing. 7 day expiry. Stake not returned. 18+. Exclusions Apply. T&Cs apply. GambleAware.org
15:35 Curragh - Flying Five Stakes
This is the second race in a stunning run of four Group 1s in a row, and in the Moyglare before I can't see past the odds on favourite Bedtime Story. Anyone wanting a lucky 15 for the day is welcome to slot her in along with the three tips provided on this page, and the first of those is BRADSELL in this race, the Flying Five. To call the sprint division this season a conundrum would be an understatement, however with everything beating everything there has been a gap for a star to return and stamp their authority. That's exactly what Bradsell did last time out.
It was a fantastic training performance from Archie Watson to have his rapid Tasleet gelding back in top form after a 339 day break to win at Deauville on seasonal debut, and he kicked on again to claim the Nunthorpe at York in fantastic style. With this horse missing the whole of the first half of the season, there must be potential he is still fresh and hitting his straps later than his sprint rivals and while many fancy Believing to turn the tables here at the Curragh from York, I do not agree. Bradsell is less exposed, the fresher horse and is not in box one like George Boughey's charge. He should win and 11/4 looks a smashing price. He did flop here last season but that was after a busy campaign and the draw looks to have fallen kindly, with pace all around him for Bradsell to aim at.
Of the outsiders I was half tempted to support Beautiful Diamond who was second here behind Believing last time out and is only three. At 18/1 he could be a good each-way bet and could even turn the tables on his conqueror last time out if he can stick to a more true line.
16:10 Curragh - National Stakes
Henri Matisse looks the one to beat in here and is bred in the purple - unsurprisingly given connections - however I'm not enthused by his price. Looking to take him on with one at double figures yielded nothing really of note when I was scouring their profiles, and so I was left with second favourite Aomori City who beat home subsequent Gimcrack winner Cool Hoof Luke last time out into third.
Sandwiched between the pair that day was Wolf Of Badenoch, who I was very sweet on yesterday to win in my ITV Racing column and he ran a real stinker to be beaten over ten lengths into fourth of five. I am left with a dilemma: was that a blip from Wolf Of Badenoch and does the Aomori City form remain strong, or is that just the level and I'm best ignoring Cool Hoof Luke's Gimcrack? With 4/1 dangling about Aomori City, I'll take my chances with him and put him up to upset the home team jolly for Charlie Appleby and William Buick.
He did win that race at Goodwood at the end of July in very taking style and he is not exactly bred to be a seller either. He is probably the price he is because he was beaten by Whistlejacket in Newmarket earlier this year, but judging by his last run he's improved for that and he can give a good account of himself in here.
16:45 Curragh - Irish St Leger
No prizes for originality in here, but I cannot have anything other than KYPRIOS on my mind. He is the best stayer of his generation and has proven himself as back to his best since missing almost all of last season and the one before through injury issues. Aidan O'Brien is the master of training these top notch staying horses and while Vauban was impressive last time out in the Lonsdale Cup, he has been brushed aside in the past by the mighty reigning champion.
Giavellotto probably rates the main danger after retaining his Yorkshire Cup, but he is an inconsistent sort and even at his best he does not match up to Kyprios. He is arguably better than ever at five, but it'll still take Kyprios blowing out for him to feature. We may not see the favourite in here for too long as he has been fragile throughout his career, so this is a race to savour. However, I do actually think 4/7 is value about the Ballydoyle superstar and he'll be in all my accumulators on a fun Sunday of racing.