Megan Nicholls Racing Preview: Haydock & Curragh Tips
SATURDAY RACING TIPS
Haydock 1.50 – Silver Bowl Handicap
Teroomm (5/1 2nd fav), who goes in a handicap for the first time, is probably not a dissimilar type of profile to Saddadd, who won at Newbury last week.
He won with a penalty at Thirsk last time and did it quite nicely when staying on well.
I think Silvestre De Sousa is the ideal type of jockey for this horse because he is a positive rider and this horse wants his mind made up for him.
I like the angle of him going in a handicap for the first time here and there could be plenty more to come. He’s potentially a group horse in the making and Roger Varian’s horses are really starting to fly now.
Megan’s Tip: Teroomm WIN
Haydock 3.00 – Sandy Lane Stakes
Arizona Blaze (4/1) comes here nice and fresh. I imagine this has been the aim for a while having built on his return at Leopardstown to go and win nicely at Chantilly.
He was unbelievably consistent and ran to a seriously high level throughout his two-year-old career, which is a shock to be honest with you because he is huge.
He’s a really big, strong colt and I think he will improve physically a lot this year. You will probably see a better and improved horse again this season.
He’s tough. He does come out of stall one but David Egan is very good on the front end and if he gets forward, he will be able to angle across slightly, which might make him hard to pass.
Megan’s Tip: Arizona Blaze WIN
Haydock 3.30 – Temple Stakes
I’m going with American Affair (7/2 2nd fav), who is an improving sprinter that was impressive again at York. He deserves to take his step up in class in group company and this isn’t the deepest Group 2.
If you take Starlust (13/2) out, it’s more of a listed Group 3 class, so he definitely deserves to be lining up here.
Starlust is a classy horse and has form right up with the top level. Last season, he won the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint as well, which was a definite highlight.
He’s a very talented sprinter, but I just wonder whether he will need this run, which is potentially why he’s middle of the market. I still think he warrants respect.
But American Affair is fit, thriving, and improving. It could be his day.
Megan’s Tip: American Affair WIN
Curragh 3.40 – Irish 2,000 Guineas
The favourite Field Of Gold (Evens) is probably the one they have to beat.
Colin Keane is on board with a shuffle in jockey arrangements. Field Of Gold will likely handle this track better than he did the dip on quicker ground at Newmarket in the English 2000 when he ran with an awful lot of credit.
He’s clearly a horse with a high level of ability and I’d imagine Colin will keep things fairly simple and get him rolling early enough because he will see the trip out pretty well.
Of bigger prices – there is a massive each-way price available on Comanche Brave (33/1), who runs for Donnacha O'Brien. He’s not the biggest but he’s very tough and he ran very well on his return when behind Henri Matisse at Leopardstown in March. I thought that was a pretty good effort.
He’s likely to have taken a step forward from that and the form is boosted with Henri Matisse winning at Longchamp since.
That’s pretty solid form and he’s an each-way angle.
Megan’s Tip: Field Of Gold WIN Comanche Brave EW
SUNDAY RACING TIPS
Curragh 3.05 – Tattersalls Gold Cup
This is an unbelievably strong renewal.
I think that White Birch (5/2 2nd fav) might be able to reverse the form with Los Angeles (2/1 fav) after the latter won in the Mooresbridge Stakes at the beginning of the month.
White Birch had a long time off the track and he ran seriously well on return. He was narrowly beaten but he was staying on again and that might just sharpen him up. Any bit of rain between now and then won’t do him any harm.
Obviously Los Angeles is very talented himself, but with just a neck between them, I just feel White Birch is the one who will improve the most of the two.
For the placings, Anmaat (11/2) for Owen Burrows finished last season by winning the Champion Stakes. A very talented horse in his own right, he’s pretty versatile in terms of ground.
He could be a fairly sensible price for the places.
Megan’s Tip: White Birch WIN Anmaat EW
Curragh 3.40 – Irish 1,000 Guineas
I’m going with Swelter (9/2), who is back up to one mile.
She is obviously up in grade but she was pretty impressive on her return this season when beating Exactly in the Priory Belle Stakes at Leopardstown back in March.
That form has worked out fairly nicely with the French 1000 Guineas. Swelter was an impressive winner that day and she’ll take a step forward from that. Being back up to a mile will help.
The Juddmonte three-year-olds this season are unbelievable. They have put together an incredible team and this is a pretty talented filly.
It’s a pretty open Irish 1000, and I’m going with the Weld/Hayes combination, here.
Megan’s Tip: Swelter WIN
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Odds correct at time of publication but subject to fluctuation