Curragh Racecourse: Preview and Tips for Royal Whip Stakes Day

Racegoers are in for a treat at the Curragh on Sunday, with an eight-race card featuring the Group Three Royal Whip Stakes and Listed Juvenile Sprint Stakes, supported by six further races.

Read on for a preview and tips for the Curragh card, brought to you by BetVictor Online Casino.

We begin with a six-furlong nursery handicap (13.35). Mr Montauk is bottom of the handicap but has proven fairly consistent in handicaps so far and might do better than his mark suggests. Banks Of The Boyne has tended to make a good show of himself in four starts so far and handicapping looks more his bag.

Next we have a six-furlong maiden for two-year-olds (14.10). Cat Blade is a nice-looking newcomer for Robson De Aguiar while The Pipeman brings some good debut form from Navan last time. He did well to finish second in a 17-runner race and, if he makes further progress here, he should be the one to beat.

Race three is a mile handicap (14.45). Comfort Line has been good this term and might be due another win now, on what is a workable mark for him. Sherekiya might have an each-way chance while Dinamine remains handy even despite being much higher than his latest winning mark. Neo Smart is high in the weights here but nicely drawn with some promising form approaching today.

A nine-furlong two-year-old’s maiden follows (15.20). Just three of the 11 runners have raced before, the best of which is the Joseph O’Brien-trained Zarak Pasha, who has gone close in two maiden starts so far and is a big contender here. Aidan O’Brien plays a strong hand here with three newcomers and a once-raced colt, but it could be the beautifully bred Palazzo Serristori is the one to beat here.

Race five is a 10-furlong handicap (15.55). Thyer has been going better and better over his last three runs, and he may be a factor here. Youcansaythatagain makes his handicap debut and could go well under Ben Coen, while Liberation Date might have an each-way chance under seven-pound claimer Orla Tynan.

The feature race is next; the 10-furlong Royal Whip Stakes (16.25). Although there are only five runners here, this looks an interesting race with some good horses in the mix. Rebel Ascendant is the one we know the least about; a maiden winner who wears first-time cheekpieces here. Three-year-old A Boy Named Susie should really be able to outclass the rest of them, though, having placed in Group One company on three occasions previously.

Second to last is the five-furlong Listed Juvenile Sprint Stakes (16.55). Grayrobin seeks a hat-trick, which looks promising here, while Armor Supreme throws a question mark and can do better here than last time in Group Two company, in which he ran well. New Bond Street may be worth considering with Oisin Murphy in the saddle.

Lastly we have a five-furlong handicap (17.25). Bold Optimist is a course and distance winner who could factor once again, while Happy Henry might be able to get involved also of a mark which proved handy enough over course and distance last time, when he was fifth of 18 by under two lengths.

Curragh selections - Sunday:

13.35 - Mr Montauk 

14.10 - The Pipeman 

14.45 - Comfort Line 

15.20 - Palazzo Serristori 

15.55 - Liberation Date e/w 

16.25 - A Boy Named Susie 

16.55 - Armor Supreme 

17.25 - Happy Henry