Sunday Irish Racing Tips: Back Mullins pair in Cesarewitch

Mark Milligan
24 September 2022
4:00 min read

Willie Mullins holds a strong hand in Sunday's Irish Cesarewitch

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Mark Milligan had a winner in his Irish column last week and sets his sights on the big handicap at the Curragh this week...

"The selection has been raised 10lb since that effort but looks to have been specifically targeted at this race and there could well still be some mileage in her new mark"

The FFriends Of The Curragh Irish Cesarewitch (16:15) is as competitive as you'd expect for a premier handicap containing 30 runners and plenty of those going to post can be given some sort of chance.

As so often in these staying handicaps on the flat, Willie Mullins is the first port of call and he fields five in the main body of the field, while he also has Scaramanga in there as first reserve.

I'm interested in two of the Closutton runners and the best strategy is probably to play them both win only rather than zeroing in on one of them for an each-way play.

Echoes In Rain is a smart hurdler and is sill unexposed on the level having only had seven starts, winning three of them.

She came out on top In the qualified riders premier handicap at Galway in July from a mark of 87, winning with something in hand.

The selection has been raised 10lb since that effort but looks to have been specifically targeted at this race and there could well still be some mileage in her new mark when you consider her hurdles rating (143).

The icing on the cake is Rachael Blackmore taking the ride as she switches codes for this valuable contest.

Lot Of Joy also worth an interest

The other Mullins runner that interests me is the ex-Swedish-trained filly Lot Of Joy, who made her debut for this stable in the same race that Echoes In Rain took at Galway in the summer.

She's won twice in her native country the previous season and was returning from a nine-month break when starting out for Mullins at Galway.

As well as the layoff, she also had a poor draw to contend with and didn't t get the best of runs through two furlongs from home.

Once extricated, she finished to good effect and can be marked up considerably for that effort.

She was an expensive purchase and presumably will be seen over hurdles this coming winter, though I'd be hopeful she can run a fine race here before making her debut over timber in the coming months.

A daughter of Camelot, Lot Of Joy boasts a nice pedigree and will come into this as one of the least exposed in the field under the excellent Danny Tudhope.

Caroline Street a strong fancy

The other race on the Curragh card that interests me is the 7f Group 3 Weld Park Stakes at 15:40, where Caroline Street has a fine chance of going one better than last time.

Joseph O'Brien's $200k daughter of No Nay Never was a winner on debut at Leopardstown in July, impressing with how she went though the race before settling things quickly once given her head.

The selection had excuses when only sixth in Group 3 company at this track on her second start, where she raced close to the unfavoured inside.

She was quickly back on track last time, finishing a good second to the smart August Rodin in a Group 2 back at Leopardstown last time and a repeat of that form will see her very tough to beat back against her own sex.

Although he's done all her racing over a mile to date, Caroline Street shapes as if this drop back to 7f will be no inconvenience, particularly as she travels so well and is versatile so far as tactics are concerned.

Anything above 2.6813/8 will be well worth taking and she rates the best bet on an otherwise tricky card.