3 minute read

It's the big Guineas weekend at the Curragh with the boys on Saturday and the girls on Sunday.

The boys race looks a fabulous affair with the 1-2 from the English version meeting on their home patch. At the moment New Approach is slightly in front of Henrythenavigator but it could go either way. Stubbs Art, the gallant third in that contest, has been supplemented here and his current price of 16/1 looks great value. Famous Name from Dermot Weld's yard is also fancied at around 7/1, but won't run if his trainer considers the going to be too fast. O'Brien's unbeaten Jupiter Pluvius is 10/1 and if anything were to cause a major upset he could be the one.

Also on Saturday's card are two G3 races, the Greenlands Stakes over 1200m and the Ridgewood Pearl over 1600m. In the Greenlands we have a horse friend racing – Snaefell – who has won both outings so far this year and we'll keep our fingers crossed for No. 3, hoping to see Soldier's Tale and Myboycharlie in the finish.

The Ridgewood Pearl has been chosen by John Oxx for Arch Swing's first outing for the year. He's the class horse of the field and presumably will be fit and ready for this. Deaville Vision and Cheyenne Star also have claims.

Sunday's 1000 Guineas has still got a field of 20 lining up. Mick Channon's Nahoodh is favourite at 11/4 from the Jim Bolger pair of Saoirse Abu 9/2 and Lush Lashes 5/1. Dermot Weld has two runners – Mad About You at 7/1 and Caribbean Sunset 9/1. O'Brien at the moment has 6 standing with Kitty Matcham at 8/1, Halfway to Heaven 10/1 and Psalm 12/1 the most likely to run.

The other G1 on the card is the Tattersalls Gold Cup over around 2000m. Duke of Marmalade won recently in France and looks the go here from Red Rocks and Finsceal Beo.