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Two Extra Place Specials for Sunday's duo
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Es Vedra will relish step up to 7f
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Duffy's mare can add to win last time
Curragh - 16:20 - Back Es Vedra
The Curragh on Sunday certainly looks a difficult card, but on the flipside with plenty of runners, especially in the handicaps, we have a chance to play each-way with the Extra Place Special races.
The 14:20 is hardly as easy as picking apricots from a French orchard, but with the five places, Es Vedra is one of two in the famous Flaxman (old money Niarchos) silks and can build on a good run at Navan last time.
She dropped down to 5 1/2 furlongs last time having curiously raced previously over 1m, but it worked as she produced her best effort to date on her handicap debut behind The Snapper.
With 2f to go she was still 10L behind the first and second, and while she was under pressure, I liked the way she picked up in soft conditions and stayed on very strongly passing a string of horses. Es Vedra was a massive price that day, but her willingness to run from a poor position marks her down as a potential improver to 7f today.
Billy Lee takes over from Nathan Crosse, and the rider was in sparkling form yesterday with a treble.
Curragh - 16:50 - Back Plume Noire
The champion jockey Colin Keane rides Plume Noire for County Meath trainer Brian Duffy, who wouldn't have too many winners, but Keane rides a mare who achieved a personal best last time.
She scored in a fair race at Gowran Park coming from off the pace over 7f and showed a good attitude on just her eighth career start.
The application of headgear was a help that day and the cheekpieces are retained from a 4lb higher mark to 81.
That still looks feasible considering she was rated 89 at one stage, plus she has a pretty decent pedigree as a half-sister to a Irish Classic winner Jet Setting.
You can click here to read the selections from Daryl Carter on Sunday