Winter To Hit Curragh On Sunday

Conditions were fairly wintery at the Curragh on Saturday for the first day of Irish Guineas weekend and Aidan O’Brien’s Winter is likely to strike again on Sunday.

O’Brien landed a 70th European Classic on Saturday with Churchill and Winter would look tailor made for 71 in the 1000 Guineas.

Winter To Hit HQ
Churchill proved a very worthy favourite and although the heavy rainfall at the Curragh is a concern, Winter looks just as worthy a favourite for the 1000 Guineas and at 4/5 she is a much more attractive option.

The filly was an impressive winner at Newmarket and will now look to provide Aidan O’Brien with a clean sweep of the English and Irish Guineas in the same season for the first time ever.

Rehana and Aneen are both interesting runners but connections of both have suggested that they won’t want the ground to have turned and with a couple of runs under her belt now, Winter just looks to be a cut above the rest here.

Like Churchill, O’Brien has opted to keep her to a mile, and while she could indeed claim big honours over further later in the campaign, Winter will first land this fillies’ Classic over a mile at the Curragh.

Harrington To Continue Red-Hot Streak
Jessica Harrington’s Brother Bear joined an impressive roll of honour in the Marble Hill Stakes on Saturday and the trainer can continue her impressive form on the flat with Red Label in the Gallinule Stakes.

Having just his first run for Harrington, Red Label won a decent contest on soft ground at Gowan Park and can be expected to improve for that outing and there were even rumours of a possible supplementary entry at one stage for the son of Dubawi for the 2000 Guineas.

The decision not to turn up on Saturday could prove wise and Red Label is a horse that could be up to big things later in the season.

Hopefully he can claim this year’s Gallinule Stakes.

Take Two for Round Two
Jim Bolger was on the mark at the Curragh on Saturday and could well be gracing the winners’ enclosure yet again courtesy of Round Two.

It’s fair to say that Round Two didn’t develop into the Group horse that connections may have hoped when he made a winning debut and backed that up to beat Washington DC in the Marble Hill Stakes.

The next win for the son of Teofilo came on soft ground at Limerick last October and dropping back to handicap company here on Sunday means he can land a blow again.

Recommended Bets:
Winter (5/6) – 3.25 Curragh
Red Label (2/1) – 2.50 Curragh
Round Two (14/1) – 5.30 Curragh

*Prices correct at time of publication.