Sunday Irish Racing Tips: Four to back at the Curragh

The 7f Group 2 Romanised Minstrel Stakes (14:10) is the first of a pair of Group 2s that highlight the second day of the Curragh's Irish Oaks meeting and I fancy Order Of Australia to win the contest for the second year running.

Aidan O'Brien's 2020 Breeders' Cup Mile winner has taken exactly the same route to this race as last year, having a pipe-opener in the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot first, the difference being he ran much better in that event this year than he had in 2021.

That bodes well for him taking in this race once more, and it could also be argued that this year's renewal of the Queen Anne was a much stronger affair than the previous year.

The son of Australia has to take on an in-form mare in the shape of Pearls Galore and she'll be partnered once again by man-of-the-moment Billy Lee, who is absolutely flying this season.

However, her form is notch below that which Order Of Australia is capable of at his best and I'm expecting him to resist her challenge.

Giladah still has more to offer

My starting point in the 1m 2f handicap at 14:45 was with Joseph O'Brien's Amortentia, who I thought fared much better than his finishing position in the Britannia at Royal Ascot last time.

He travelled smoothly that day and only gave best late on, eventually beaten just under 6 lengths into eleventh place.

However, he does have to lug top weight here - albeit with his claimer taking off 7lb - and he may struggle to give weight away to the improving Giladah.

Dermot Weld's filly was off the mark at the fourth attempt in a handicap at Leopardstown last month and the time of that race was a good one.

She hardly looks overburdened with a rise of 7lb for that success, particularly when you consider her pedigree is a smart one.

Bearing that pedigree in mind, she could well stay ahead of the handicapper for some time yet and I'm hopefully of a bold showing from the daughter of Muharaar.

Purplepay the one to beat

The 1m 1f Group 2 Killboy Estate Stakes (15:55) sees Purplepay going back over to the Curragh after her fifth in the Pretty Polly last time and she should arguably be shorter than the forecast 3.7511/4.

William Haggas' daughter of Zarak cost an absolute fortune out of Cedric Rossi's yard in France at the end of 2021 and started to repay a chunk of that hefty fee when taking a Group 2 at Chantilly on just her second start for the yard.

She'd run in the Irish 1000 Guineas prior to that win, though didn't cut much ice against the likes of Homeless Songs and Tuesday et al, and it seems she's just a notch below that sort of class.

She ran okay in that Pretty Polly against older fillies and mares last time without absolutely convincing that she wants to go as far as 1m 2f.

With that in mind, the drop to this intermediate trip should suit ideally and she has upwards of 7lb in hand of the rest of the field on official figures.

Improving filly fancied against some exposed rivals

Are We Dreaming is a lightly-raced sprinter who appears to be on the up and she's taken to get the better of some exposed operators in the 5f handicap at 17:00.

The daughter of Kendargent start out with three solid placed efforts in maidens in the spring and early summer but showed improvement dropped to the minimum trip last time, the application of a visor seeming to really sharpen her up.

She showed plenty of speed at Bellewstown that day, travelling really fluently on the way to a ready success over Shoebox King.

The time was good which bodes encouragingly for her first foray into handicap company, where she starts off life on a more than fair mark of 74.

Provided the headgear has the same effect this time, Are We Dreaming is sure to take plenty of stopping in the hands of Billy Lee.