1.30 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Bold Lad Sprint Handicap (Premier Handicap) €150,000 RTV 6f

Top Two Master Rated Horses:

1. 2 Carla Ridge (IRE) (Tdy Total: 348)
2. 12 Red Evolution (IRE) (Tdy Total: 348)

2 Carla Ridge (IRE)

• Recent Form & Comments: This 3-year-old has a recent form of -43023. She won a 6f Navan maiden in her juvenile season. She performed well in Group 3 races early this season but was considered “out of her depth in the Commonwealth Cup”. Her subsequent stakes race form, linked to “the smart Sky Majesty,” gives her a “big chance”. The spotlight verdict emphasizes her “solid stakes race form” and, despite carrying a “hefty burden” as a three-year-old, she “gets the vote”.
• Chances in Today’s Race:
  • Strengths: Carla Ridge has demonstrated solid form in stakes races and is proven over the 6f distance. Her age is noted as a positive factor, aligning with previous winners of this race.
  • Weaknesses: Her performance in the Commonwealth Cup suggests she can be vulnerable in top-tier company. She is also carrying a “hefty burden” in terms of weight.
  • Suitability: The 6f distance is well within her proven capabilities. While not explicitly stated, her stakes form implies an ability to cope with varied ground conditions, including today’s yielding.
  • Overall: Carla Ridge is a strong contender with high-class form, but her weight and past performance in the toughest races are points to consider.

12 Red Evolution (IRE)

• Recent Form & Comments: This 3-year-old has a recent form of 181721. He built on his 5f Dundalk maiden success in January with a Cork handicap win in May. He then finished second to Keke in the 5f Rockingham Handicap and secured another win over 5f at Cork in his latest outing. The spotlight verdict suggests he “should enter calculations”.
• Chances in Today’s Race:
  • Strengths: Red Evolution is in consistent winning form this season, including a handicap win and a creditable second in a premier handicap. He has a “definite chance”.
  • Weaknesses: Most of his recent successes have been over 5f, so the step up to 6f might test his stamina if the pace is overly strong.
  • Suitability: He has proven effective over 5f on various grounds, and the 6f trip should be manageable given his overall form. The yielding ground is not expected to be an issue.
  • Overall: Red Evolution holds a definite chance, primarily due to his excellent recent form and proven ability, making him a serious threat.

2.05 Tattersalls Ireland Super Auction Sales Stakes €250,000 RTV 6½f

Top Two Master Rated Horses:

1. 1 Alparslan (IRE) (Tdy Total: 339)
2. 7 Joyful Tidings (Tdy Total: 322)

1 Alparslan (IRE)

• Recent Form & Comments: This 2-year-old has a recent form of 1. He made a winning debut last month in a 7f Leicester novice event, winning “well” and pulling clear of an odds-on favourite in the final furlong. He showed “plenty of speed” on that occasion, so a drop back to 6½f “shouldn’t be a problem”. The spotlight positions him as a key part of “the best of the British challenge”.
• Chances in Today’s Race:
  • Strengths: Alparslan delivered an impressive winning debut, showcasing considerable speed. The slight drop in trip from 7f to 6½f is anticipated to be advantageous. He holds the highest TimeWise Master rating in this race.
  • Weaknesses: With only one career start, he is relatively unexposed to competitive or challenging race conditions.
  • Suitability: His demonstrated speed indicates strong suitability for the 6½f distance. His quality debut suggests he should handle the yielding ground without issue.
  • Overall: Alparslan is a strong contender with significant potential for further progression, especially with the favourable distance.

7 Joyful Tidings

• Recent Form & Comments: This 2-year-old has a recent form of 1. She made a “good impression” on her debut in April, justifying market support by showing “speed throughout” and beating a subsequent Listed winner over 5f on yielding ground. She has been “long-absent” since that run. The spotlight gives her preference, noting her debut win on “similar ground” and the quality of the horse she defeated.
• Chances in Today’s Race:
  • Strengths: Joyful Tidings was an impressive debut winner on yielding ground, proving her ability on today’s surface. The fact she beat a “subsequent Listed winner” speaks highly of her underlying quality. The conditions are ideal for her (“has his ground here”).
  • Weaknesses: She has been “long-absent” since April, raising concerns about her fitness after the layoff. She also needs to prove she can “see out this stiff 6f” (referring to 6.5f).
  • Suitability: The yielding ground is perfectly suited to her. Her ability to maintain pace over the slightly longer, stiff 6½f will be crucial.
  • Overall: Joyful Tidings is a major player if she can return from her layoff in top form and effectively manage the extended distance.

2.40 Moyglare Stud Stakes (Group 1) €400,000 ITV 7f

Top Two Master Rated Horses:

1. 7 Venetian Sun (IRE) (Tdy Total: 447)
2. 2 Composing (IRE) (Tdy Total: 425)

7 Venetian Sun (IRE)

• Recent Form & Comments: This 2-year-old has a recent form of 1111. She is described as a “revelation” who has rapidly climbed the Pattern level since her debut. Her victories include the Group 3 Albany Stakes and the Group 2 Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes, where she beat the subsequent Lowther winner Royal Fixation. She “gamely resisted” the Coventry winner Gstaad in the Prix Morny. She is noted as “tough and talented”. The spotlight highlights her as a “strong contender” and observes she has “coped well with quick ground but should not be inconvenienced by an ease”.
• Chances in Today’s Race:
  • Strengths: Venetian Sun is an unbeaten, tough, and highly talented filly with multiple Group wins to her name. Her versatility regarding ground is a significant advantage, as she is expected to handle today’s yielding conditions despite her quick ground form. She commands the highest TimeWise Master rating.
  • Weaknesses: The primary question mark is her stamina, specifically whether she “will stay 7f at this stage”.
  • Suitability: Her class and adaptability should allow her to perform well, but her ability to maintain her speed over the full 7f trip will be the determining factor.
  • Overall: Venetian Sun is a very strong contender for this Group 1, with her exceptional talent and form. However, her stamina over 7f is a critical, yet unproven, element.

2 Composing (IRE)

• Recent Form & Comments: This 2-year-old has a recent form of 111. She is unbeaten in her last three races, securing a C&D maiden win and impressive victories in small-field Group 3 races at Leopardstown and over this C&D. She successfully “took the measure” of the front-running Suzie Songs. Her dam “handled soft ground well”. The spotlight suggests she “may stay more effectively than the unbeaten Venetian Sun” and notes her “liking for this trip is already established with an emphatic C&D Group 2 win”.
• Chances in Today’s Race:
  • Strengths: Composing is unbeaten in her last three starts and is a proven C&D Group 2 winner, clearly demonstrating her aptitude for the distance. Her dam’s ability on soft ground indicates she should cope well with the expected yielding conditions.
  • Weaknesses: She finished only fifth on her debut, in a race where a stablemate placed third.
  • Suitability: She is highly suitable for the 7f trip and the anticipated yielding ground.
  • Overall: Composing is a major threat, especially if the race’s demanding 7f trip proves a significant test of stamina for her rivals.

3.15 Bar One Racing Flying Five Stakes (Group 1) €400,000 ITV 5f

Top Two Master Rated Horses:

1. 9 Asfoora (AUS) (Tdy Total: 440)
2. 10 Mgheera (Tdy Total: 423)

9 Asfoora (AUS)

• Recent Form & Comments: This 7-year-old has a recent form of -17571. She is described as a “top-class Australian mare” with 11 wins from 27 races, including a Group 1 King Charles III Stakes victory at Royal Ascot. She made a powerful return to form, “taking the Nunthorpe in emphatic” style. She also has “two wins on soft in 2023”. The spotlight states she was “back to her brilliant best in the Nunthorpe and will be hard to beat if reproducing that form”.
• Chances in Today’s Race:
  • Strengths: Asfoora is a top-class Group 1 winner who recently delivered a brilliant performance in the Nunthorpe. She has proven ability on soft ground, making her highly suitable for today’s yielding conditions. She sets the standard for this race and holds the highest TimeWise Master rating.
  • Weaknesses: She had a couple of less impressive runs earlier in the season, including a dead-heat for fifth in the King Charles III and a sub-par performance at Goodwood.
  • Suitability: She is ideally suited to the Group 1 level, the 5f sprint distance, and the expected yielding ground.
  • Overall: Asfoora is the horse to beat if she can replicate her outstanding Nunthorpe form.

10 Mgheera

• Recent Form & Comments: This 5-year-old has a recent form of 6-1128. She notably defeated today’s rival She’s Quality to win the 5f Group 2 Temple Stakes at Haydock in May. However, she was “outpointed by Arizona Blaze” in a C&D Group 2 in July and was observed to be “a bit slow out of the stalls” in the Nunthorpe. The spotlight mentions her “slow-starting tendency” but also affirms that she is “quick enough to make her presence” felt.
• Chances in Today’s Race:
  • Strengths: Mgheera is a Group 2 winner over 5f this season and possesses the high-class speed required for this event.
  • Weaknesses: Her tendency to be “slow out of the stalls” is a significant concern in a fast 5f sprint. She was also outpointed by another strong contender, Arizona Blaze, in a previous C&D race.
  • Suitability: She is proven at 5f and at Group 2 level. Her ability to achieve a clean start on yielding ground will be crucial to her chances.
  • Overall: Mgheera is a strong contender for a place, with the potential to challenge for the win if she can overcome her starting issues.

3.50 Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stakes (Group 1) €400,000 ITV 7f

Top Two Master Rated Horses:

1. 6 Zavateri (IRE) (Tdy Total: 430)
2. 5 Saba Desert (Tdy Total: 425)

6 Zavateri (IRE)

• Recent Form & Comments: This 2-year-old has a recent form of 111. He is unbeaten in three starts, proving to be a “shrewd buy”. His wins include a Salisbury novice, the Group 2 July Stakes at Newmarket, and the Group 2 Vintage Stakes at Goodwood, where he “rallied gamely”. He possesses the “right attitude”. The spotlight describes him as “already a dual Group 2 winner” and states he “has to be respected”.
• Chances in Today’s Race:
  • Strengths: Zavateri is an unbeaten and dual Group 2 winner, highlighting his high class. He displays a “winning attitude” and impressive rallying ability. He holds the highest TimeWise Master rating.
  • Weaknesses: It is noted that “likely slower ground and stiffer track will place more of an emphasis on stamina”.
  • Suitability: He is proven over the 7f distance. The key challenge will be adapting to potentially softer ground and the stiffer demands of the Curragh track, which will thoroughly test his stamina.
  • Overall: Zavateri is a very strong contender with undeniable talent and a winning mentality, but he faces a new test with the ground and track conditions.

5 Saba Desert

• Recent Form & Comments: This 2-year-old has a recent form of 11. He won on debut in a Sandown maiden over 7f and followed up with a win in the Group 2 Superlative Stakes at Newmarket, where he “avoided interference on near side then hanging left once hitting the front”. He is considered “still a work in progress with likely more to offer”. He is “following the same path as yard’s 2021 winner Native Trail”. The spotlight states he “follows here with major claims”.
• Chances in Today’s Race:
  • Strengths: Saba Desert is an unbeaten Group 2 winner over 7f. He is still developing, with “more to offer”. His stable has a strong record in this race with horses on a similar trajectory.
  • Weaknesses: His tendency to “hang left once hitting the front” in his last win suggests he is still learning.
  • Suitability: He is proven at the 7f distance. While the ground is yielding, his progressive nature suggests he should be capable of handling it.
  • Overall: Saba Desert is a serious contender with a promising profile, potential for improvement, and the backing of a successful stable.

4.25 Comer Group International Irish St. Leger (Group 1) €500,000 ITV 1m6f

Top Two Master Rated Horses:

1. 2 Al Riffa (FR) (Tdy Total: 430)
2. 9 Amiloc (Tdy Total: 429)

2 Al Riffa (FR)

• Recent Form & Comments: This 5-year-old has a recent form of -41811. He is a “three-time winner here including 5L success in Group 2 Curragh Cup in July on latest”. He has achieved Group 1 wins as a 2-year-old and 3-year-old. He “acts on easy ground” and “looks a deserved favourite”. He is expected to be aiming for a Melbourne Cup bid. The spotlight verdict indicates he “could just have that better turn of foot at this distance”.
• Chances in Today’s Race:
  • Strengths: Al Riffa is a proven Group 1 winner and has a recent Group 2 victory at this specific track. His comfort on “easy ground” makes him highly suitable for today’s yielding conditions. He is considered a “deserved favourite” and holds the highest TimeWise Master rating.
  • Weaknesses: No significant weaknesses are noted for this race.
  • Suitability: He is exceptionally well-suited to the Group 1 level, the 1m6f distance, and the anticipated yielding ground.
  • Overall: Al Riffa is a very strong favourite and the leading candidate to win, boasting excellent form and ideal conditions.

9 Amiloc

• Recent Form & Comments: This 3-year-old has a recent form of 11-111. He is described as a “smart one” and is unbeaten in five career starts, with notable wins at Goodwood and holding off Zahrann in the 1m4f Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot. He has had a “break since” his last run. The spotlight identifies him as an “intriguing dimension” to the race, bidding to become the “first of his generation to win this since 2019”.
• Chances in Today’s Race:
  • Strengths: Amiloc maintains a perfect unbeaten record in five career starts, including a Group 2 victory. His age (3-year-old) is historically significant for this race.
  • Weaknesses: His suitability for today’s “trip and ground” is “unknown territory”. The 1m6f distance is longer than he has previously competed over, and he is unproven on yielding ground. He has also been on a break.
  • Suitability: While his class is evident, his lack of experience at this extended trip and on potentially softer ground are considerable unknowns.
  • Overall: Amiloc is a fascinating contender with a flawless record and immense potential, but the unproven stamina and ground suitability present significant challenges.

5.00 Moyglare ”Jewels” Blandford Stakes (Group 2) €200,000 RTE2 1m2f

Top Two Master Rated Horses:

1. 9 Red Letter (Tdy Total: 412)
2. 4 One Look (IRE) (Tdy Total: 408)

9 Red Letter

• Recent Form & Comments: This 3-year-old has a recent form of 4-7211. She placed fourth in the Group 1 Moyglare Stakes. She has “come good” since a defeat in June, “delivering on juvenile promise”. She handled soft ground well when winning a 1m Listed race at Killarney. Her 1m1f course win 15 days ago, where she “turned the tables on Barnavara,” suggested she “would stay further”. The spotlight states she “should be suited by the trip and ground” and has “come good on her last two starts”.
• Chances in Today’s Race:
  • Strengths: Red Letter is an in-form filly with recent wins, including one on soft ground, making her ideal for today’s yielding conditions. She has proven ability over similar distances and is expected to stay the 1m2f trip. She holds the highest TimeWise Master rating in this race.
  • Weaknesses: No significant weaknesses are readily apparent from the sources.
  • Suitability: She is highly suitable for the 1m2f trip and the anticipated yielding/soft ground.
  • Overall: Red Letter is a very strong contender with excellent recent form and ideal conditions.

4 One Look (IRE)

• Recent Form & Comments: This 4-year-old has a recent form of 2-1261. She was a Listed winner last season and secured the Group 3 Park Express at the Curragh (1m, good) on her return. She then achieved a “fine second” in the Group 2 Lanwades Stud Stakes. She “established her stamina with C&D Group 3 win in July”. She “should be thereabouts”. The spotlight indicates she “can be given a serious chance having established her stamina with a C&D win eight weeks ago”.
• Chances in Today’s Race:
  • Strengths: One Look is a proven C&D Group 3 winner, which confirms her stamina for the 1m2f trip. She has displayed good form in Group races throughout this season.
  • Weaknesses: Her C&D win was in July, and her previous wins were on good ground. The potential for further rain and how she would cope with very soft ground is not explicitly addressed as a positive.
  • Suitability: She is highly suitable for the C&D. Her ability to perform optimally on yielding or soft ground will be a key factor if conditions are particularly testing.
  • Overall: One Look is a leading contender with established C&D form and stamina, but the precise ground conditions could influence her performance.

5.35 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Northfields Handicap (Premier Handicap) €150,000 RTV 1m2f

Top Two Master Rated Horses:

1. 12 Crown Of Oaks (Tdy Total: 350)
2. 2 Masoun (FR) (Tdy Total: 341)

12 Crown Of Oaks

• Recent Form & Comments: This 3-year-old has a recent form of 3-3311. She has “much improved since being gelded,” achieving wins over 1m2f at Ayr in July and “impressively taking Ascot contest on soft ground eight days ago”. Despite a “mandatory 7lb penalty,” she is theoretically “7lb in hand” according to the British handicapper, with “ground to suit”. The spotlight describes her as a “worthy hot favourite,” impressive on soft ground, and “7lb well-in on future events”.
• Chances in Today’s Race:
  • Strengths: Crown Of Oaks is a highly progressive filly in exceptional form, with two recent wins, including a dominant performance “on soft ground”. She has a significant 7lb advantage based on the handicapper’s re-assessment. The “ground to suit” further enhances her prospects. She holds the highest TimeWise Master rating.
  • Weaknesses: She carries a 7lb penalty for her recent success.
  • Suitability: She is ideally suited to the 1m2f trip and soft/yielding ground conditions.
  • Overall: Crown Of Oaks is a very strong favourite and the leading candidate to win, backed by recent impressive form and a considerable advantage at the weights.

2 Masoun (FR)

• Recent Form & Comments: This 4-year-old has a recent form of 045117. He has been “progressive last summer and again for this season’s new yard,” securing wins at Leopardstown and then over this C&D in a lady riders handicap. He “didn’t run badly at Goodwood latest so not one to rule out”.
• Chances in Today’s Race:
  • Strengths: Masoun is a progressive horse with two wins this season, including a course and distance success. He has shown respectable recent form, even when competing in stronger company.
  • Weaknesses: Specific ground preferences are not mentioned in relation to his wins, so his performance on today’s yielding conditions might be a slight unknown if his victories were on firmer ground.
  • Suitability: He is proven at the course and distance. He should be competitive if he adapts well to the ground conditions.
  • Overall: Masoun is a solid contender given his progressive profile and C&D win, making him a strong each-way prospect.