Horse Racing Tips: Alakazi can take the step up in class in Monday 50/1 Curragh double

• Murtagh colt impressive when landing Maiden last time out

• Filly off a mark of 90 for handicap debut but she was progressiver last term

• Alan Dudman has two tips for the Curragh on Monday in a double at 50/151.00 

Curragh - 14:25: Back Alakazi @ 13/27.50

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Alakazi (Fr)

• J: Ben Martin Coen
• T: John Patrick Murtagh, Ireland
• F:

I've made no secret how backing Johnny Murtagh's horses in this early part of the season is a good ploy as his team have been well forward and Alakazi looks well worth a chance at 13/27.50 today stepping up in class for the Listed Tetrarch Stakes.

Some greats have won this race in the past with the likes of Secreto and Royal Academy, and Murtagh himself has one win as a jockey and one as a trainer in the honours list with Aztec Parade's success in 2020.

Alakazi made his belated debut as a juvenile last October in the race won by Aidan O'Brien's Twain, who was one of his leading Classic hopes for the 2,000 Guineas but was behind in his work and didn't make Saturday's race. Alakazi looked inexperienced in the race and lacked any sort of know-how with a slowly away start, and Murtagh said the ground was testing.

He was a different proposition this term for his debut run of the season - winning a Leopardstown Maiden by seven lengths with the step up to 1m and added experience clearly of great benefit.

The start from the stalls saw him cruise with blissful ease into second by taking a lead, and then he was angled off the bend with two furlongs to go and put the race to bed with a fine burst of pace. His final three sectionals read: 11.74, 11.42 and 12.18. The runner up and third's final furlongs were recorded at 12.98 and 13.17.

He has entries in the St James' Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Irish 2,000 Guineas and Murtagh said after the race "we'll see what he's made of."

Curragh - 15:00: Back Orchidaceae @ 6/17.00

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Orchidaceae (Ire)

• J: William James Lee
• T: Andrew Oliver, Ireland
• F:

This 15:00 looks a good 7f Handicap with any amount of unexposed horses from top yards. Orchidaceae at 6/17.00 appeals and I want to give Andrew Oliver's Orchidaceae another chance following a disappointing first run of the season at Leopardstown.

That was a Group 3 so it was tough start to life as a three-year-old, and with the ground on the soft side then, we should expect a little better today with quicker and faster conditions.

She was a progressive juvenile last season winning twice at the Curragh and Leopardstown and the win in the latter came on good ground, although Timeform rated it good to firm.

Orchidaceae also looks fairly straightforward as she likes to front run and did really well from her wide draw at Leopardstown to win last season. 

Another with a pair of loftier entries, she's interesting here running in a handicap from the first time off 90, so she'll have to be good but the ground will certainly be in her favour.

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

Now read more tips and previews for Monday here!