Horse Racing Tips: Back White Birch to gain revenge in Sunday 10/1 Curragh double

• White Birch clashes with Los Angeles again

• Can Murtagh filly defy a huge hike in the weights?

• Alan Dudman picks out a Curragh 10/111.00 Sportsbook double on Sunday

Curragh - 15:05: Back White Birch @ 5/23.50

A brilliant performance in the Tattersalls Gold Cup 12 months ago should have been the platform for White Birch to stamp himself down as one of the leading mile-and-a-quarter horses but we were robbed of seeing him after May last year, but hopefully now connections can kick on.

His victory in this renewal a year ago was a standout effort - travelling strongly off the pace in a good time in the process of winning by over three lengths. At that stage in 2024, no other horse had recorded a bigger Timeform figure than the 128 that day, and everything backed up a high-class effort.

The long-awaited comeback for White Birch came in the Mooresbridge earlier this month and his trainer John Joseph Murphy must have come away a satisfied and relieved man with his neck second to Los Angeles. After a 344-day lay-off, he gave Los Angeles a real humdinger of a race.

He traded at 1.434/9 in-running, and conditions yesterday at the Curragh moving on with Sunday could be coming into his favour as I think he's better away from fast ground.

There isn't much between his rival from the Mooresbridge with Los Angeles 9/43.25 and White Birch 5/23.50 on the Sportsbook, and I am looking forward to the possibility of the grey improving following his comeback spin.

Curragh - 16:15: Back Murkala @ 9/43.25

Nine runners in the Premier Fillies' Handicap at 16:15 and Johnny Murtagh's Murkala has to be one of the more curious pieces of handicapping.

She had shaped quite well on her first run of the season at the Curragh back in March, and the switch to a handicap worked first time with a length success over Sweet Chariot and a four length gap back to the 71-rated third.

The assessor deemed that performance worthy of a 14lb rise - something I haven't seen for a long time.

Gavin Cromwell's La Guapisima brings some European form to the table on her first start for the yard, and she's been allotted 98, so clearly the offices giving the ratings were in a mean mood that day.

La Guapisima will be running for the first time this term and her price was pretty big last night at 11/112.00, so Murkala at least has the fitness edge there, and could have the classier edge on Varhsini - whose win came in softer conditions at Gowran Park.

We drew an unlucky lot with Murtagh's Reyenzi on Friday night in the Gallinule, as he was demoted to third after crossing the line in front, but it least it highlighted the form of Murtagh's team and Murkala's victory last time saw her idle in the closing stages.

The cheekpieces that had previously been worn were dispensed with, and I do see her getting the mile here up from 7f.

April winners at BSP:

Seo Linn 3.3
Push The Button (place) 4.53
Happygolucky (place) 2.31
Iroko (place) 2.87
Bubble Gum 2.81
Billy McGarry 6.08
Moon Over Miami 3.05
Persica 4.19
City Of Delight 3.3,
Ribee (place) 2.56
Cheeky Wink 7.0
Lombron (place) 3.35
Love Billy Boy 6.87
Adamantly Chosen (place) 4.12

May winners at BSP:

Falakeyah 2.66
Cinderella's Dream 2.58
Seraphim Angel (place) 2.79
Sea Invasion 3.42
Jabbar (place) 2.72
La Trinidad 6.35 (place)
Carmers 2.77
Glamorous Breeze 7.92

Now read more tips and previews for Sunday here!