Eight meetings on a Saturday card is a lot to chew through, and the temptation is always to spread thin. We’ve gone the other way. The Curragh is the magnet, Haydock has the prices, and Goodwood rewards anyone willing to read the small print.
Start in Ireland because that’s where the strongest hand is. Sergei Diaghilev makes his racecourse debut for Ballydoyle in the 1:20, a Wootton Bassett colt out of an unraced sister to Johannes Vermeer and a half to the Group-placed Endorsement. Ryan Moore takes the ride, which from this yard on debut day is the loudest signal you tend to get. Later in the afternoon, Comanche Brave drops back to six furlongs in the 3:05 having finished third in last year’s Jersey Stakes and fifth in the Irish 2,000 Guineas. He held his own behind Ka Ying Rising at Sha Tin last month, and Donnacha O’Brien pairs him with Moore. The shortening of trip looks the key tweak.
Perfect Your Craft is the one to lean on in the 2:30. Three wins from six, now with Paddy Twomey whose yard is firing, rated 91 with an RPR of 106 and drawn in stall one over ten and a half furlongs. He has a clear class edge in there.
Over at Haydock, Prydwen makes plenty of appeal at 6.5 in the 4:05. He was fifth in a Group 2 in Germany only thirteen days ago so the fitness is banked, he’s come down the weights, and the good to soft ground at Haydock has worked for him before. That’s a horse arriving with everything in place rather than needing things to fall right.
Goodwood is where we’ve taken a few swings rather than leaning on shorter ones. Moon Over Miami in the 4:20 and Riley Rocks in the 4:55 are the each way plays we like, while Brilliant Star in the 3:10 is the one if you want something closer to the head of the market. Windsor in the evening offers Night Bear at 8.5 in the 7:30, blinkers back on for Tony Carroll, a horse with four turf wins and previous course and distance form.
Yesterday delivered a proper afternoon. Sea Venture obliged at 9, Boiling Point came in at 6.5 and Neptune Legend at 5, with another five placed efforts behind them. Big card, big day, and the Curragh is the room to be in once the gates pop.