General / Andrew Hughes / 27 June 2009 / Leave a Comment

Andrew Hughes brings you the highlights of a packed racing week that takes us from Curragh to Sandown via Uttoxeter and Saint Cloud

Sunday June 28

Curragh

1:40 Dubai Duty Free Golf World Handicap

One of the best Irish flat meetings of the season gets underway with this mile-long Premier Handicap. Expect a typically large field in a competitive event that has thrown up more than its share of big priced winners.

2:10 Dubai Duty Free Millenium Millionaire Sapphire Stakes

Recently promoted to Group Three status, this race usually involves one or two British raiders. Dandy Nicholls saddled the winner of this contest last year and this time round has entered Inxile, winner of a Listed race at Naas earlier in the season.

2:40 Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprise Scurry

A solid-looking and usually fiercely fought six furlong Premier Handicap that is sure to feature some sprinters capable of stepping up to Stakes level.

3:10 Netjets Railway Stakes

A Group race for two-year-olds that has been won by an Aidan O'Brien entry in nine of the last ten runnings. The master of Ballydoyle has entered Alfred Nobel this year but faces competition from Ger Lyons's Love Lockdown.

3:40 Woodies D.I.Y. Celebration Stakes

An intriguing Listed contest run over a mile in which the pick of the entries is Dermot Weld's Tattersalls Gold Cup runner-up Famous Name.

4:20 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby

Dating back to 1866, this is one of most important and prestigious middle distance races in the world. With the English Derby winner Sea The Stars likely to line up at Sandown next Saturday instead, it is Epsom runner-up Fame and Glory who currently heads the market for this one at [2.16]

5:05 Dubai Tennis Championship EBF Handicap

A twelve furlong Premier Handicap that should be a searching test of stamina in the forecast soft conditions.

Saint-Cloud

3:30 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud

A classy mile-and-a-half contest, this time for older horses, some of which might go on to feature in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. There are some high quality entries for this contest, including last year's Arc runner-up Youmzain.

Uttoxeter

4:25 Brittannia Building Society English Summer National

A reminder that the National Hunt season is always with us, this perennial summer favourite may be staged around the easy contours of Uttoxeter, but four miles is a thorough stamina test, whatever the conditions.

Wednesday July 1

Fairyhouse

7:00 Golden Fleece Stakes

A Listed contest for two-year-olds which, at seven furlongs, is quite an examination of these young horses' endurance.

7:30 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Brownstown Stakes

This is a Group Three event for fillies and mares that attracts a familiar mix of highly tried and unexposed horses in search of a Pattern win.

Friday July 3

Sandown

2:50 Foundation Developments Dragon Stakes

A Listed race for promising two-year-olds which may throw up one or two useful types worth noting for Goodwood.

4:00 Helical Bar Gala Stakes

A ten furlong Listed event open to all ages, but in which three-year-olds have enjoyed considerable success.

Saturday July 4

Sandown

2:05 Sprint Stakes

A Group Three contest for classy sprinters that has improved steadily over recent years and should offer the punter plenty of top level form to peruse.

2:40 Heritage Handicap

A typical Saturday betting event, this big field mile contest is a tricky puzzle for handicap lovers to solve.

3:15 Coral Eclipse

A valuable and prestigious race in which the best of the current crop of three-year-olds clash with their elders for the first time. Having been switched to this race in preference to the Irish Derby, Sea The Stars is likely to start favourite.

3:45 Distaff

A Listed event run over a mile for improving three-year-old fillies.

4:20 Esher Stakes

Another Listed contest, this time over two miles for older horses where the final incline may find out those with doubtful stamina.

Haydock

2:55 Lancashire Oaks

A popular Group Two middle distance race which nearly rivals the Epsom original for the keenness with which it is contested.

3:30 Old Newton Cup

A much loved Heritage Handicap, one of the oldest such events on the racing calendar. The tempting prize money and lack of upper rating limit make this a fiercely competitive race with a big field and a busy betting market.

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