Curragh Racing Tips: Turn on the Power

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Power Under Me - 15:45 Curragh

The Ger Lyons gelding Power Under Me looks the form pick in the Lester Piggott Gladness Stakes. He bookended last season with wins in listed races at Cork and Leopardstown, and while he's been sprinting for most of his career, his latter win last year came over a mile. Power Under Me went with enthusiasm when fifth to Buckaroo in a listed race at Leopardstown on his return 11 days ago and should be all the better with that run under his belt. He wasn't far behind third-placed Mea Culpa there but meets that rival on slightly better terms here and goes well in the mud so the forecast heavy ground won't trouble him.

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Point Lonsdale - 15:10 Curragh

Point Lonsdale was a smart two-year-old for Aidan O'Brien and can get his career back on track returning from almost a year off in the Alleged Stakes. He won his first four starts at two, including the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Futurity Stakes at the Curragh and it was only when he met the year's top two-year-old, Native Trail, in the National Stakes, for which he was sent off at odds on, that he lost his unbeaten record. Point Lonsdale returned in the 2000 Guineas but finished down the field, not helped by being hampered when beginning to struggle. A brother to his stable's very smart performer Broome, Point Lonsdale has plenty of big-race entries over longer trips this year and should appreciate this first try beyond a mile.

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Earls - 16:20 Curragh

This is a competitive sprint handicap in which Earls shouldn't be far away. He really thrived in his first season with Gavin Cromwell last term and completed a four-timer in handicaps in the second half of the year at up to a mile, though the last of those wins came over six furlongs on heavy ground at Naas, the same trip and ground as he encounters here. Earls shaped as if better for the race when eighth behind the race-fit Laugh A Minute, who re-opposes here, over five furlongs at this track three weeks ago. With the benefit of that run, and back over another furlong, he's expected to get much more competitive this time.