SUNDAY WEEKENDER

15:10 Curragh

Only one place to head for the Sunday Weekender and that is the Curragh for the start of the Irish Turf season. We start with a six furlong sprint. Great Minds is the favourite and won this race last year. Last season he hacked up and even with the big increase in weight this year he still is extremely unexposed and still could have some more improvement up his sleeve. Soft ground is ideal and he has a track record running off a long absence. This looks like an excellent opportunity to continue his progress upwards and could be a group performer on soft ground.

Dashwood finished second behind Great Minds last season. He is receipt of further weight today. He has been running well on the all-weather and Chris Hayes is a positive jockey booking. While Fastidious is another who has been running well at Dundalk and with the help of young claimer Simmonson.

These two could out run their odds but the Fav should take all the beating and Great Minds is definitely one to follow for the season.

Great Minds (WIN)

16:20 Curragh

A tricky seven furlong three-year old only handicap up next. All the big stables are represented and David Wachman has two at the head of the market. He has track record in this race winning it last year and in 2009.

Sexy Legs is the current market leader in an open looking betting heat. He finished eight lengths behind Cursory Glance in the Albany at Royal Ascot but he was sent off favourite that day plus the fact he disappointed next time out when well backed again. He could be well handicapped and stepped up to this stiffer test may bring the improvement required. He is overlooked for the other Wachman runner. He is Fit For The Job, this JP Mc Manus owned horse gave bags and bags of weight away last time out when willing well. He went up six pounds for that and in my opinion that shouldn’t be enough to stop him going in again.

Dunquin is the most likely danger and could be very well handicapped based on his run behind John F Kennedy off a basement mark of seventy-eight. This is a wide open contest and cases can be made for most, Fit For The Job is the most likely winner but shouldn’t be outside the first three.

Fit For The Job (E/W if 4/1+)

16:55 Curragh

We finish with the Irish Lincolnshire and a mammoth field of twenty-six have been declared.

A wide open event which is headed by Tommy Stacks runner OneNightIDreamed is the market leader and is only making his fourth racecourse appearance. With him yet to finish outside the first three on all three starts he should run his race but is very short in the market.

Stuccodor is six pounds higher than last years win and Luke Dempsey takes off five of them which makes him very interesting, however he was beaten in a maiden hurdle when long odds on and it would be very hard to repeat his win last year.

Defining Year is the other Weld runner and the seven-year old has a first time visor in place and with Smullen booked should go well.

Ger Lyons has two interesting runners, Third Dimension was interesting last year, but ran below par a couple of time. He will have needed to improve as a four-year old to get involved. His other runner is Unsinkable who won an apprentice handicap under today’s jockey last time out on only his second run for Ger Lyons. He remains really well handicapped based on his previous form and his worthy of his place towards the head of the market.

The selection is Bishan Bedi who has taken massive strides in the short space of time he is with Aidan O’Brien. His is still relativity unexposed. Unlucky not to be unbeaten in all of his starts in Ireland he can improve past his current rating. The Mrs O’Brien owned gelding looks on the high side in the market.

Bishan Bedi (E/W)