Sunday Irish Racing Tips: Tanaza can return to winning ways

Alan Dudman
17 July 2016

All eyes turn to an excellent card at the Curragh on Sunday

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Alan Dudman deputises once again while Tony Keenan is on honeymoon. And following his 12/1 winner at Fairyhouse last weekend, Alan has several selections for a cracking Sunday at the Curragh...

"Her juvenile campaign last year was almost top notch. She scooted to win her first two races, claiming the mighty scalps of Minding and Alice Springs on quick ground. She wasn't disgraced in finishing fourth in the 2015 Group 1 Moyglare either."

Back Tanaza @ 5.509/2 in the 16:15 at the Curragh

14:00 Curragh - Will you lay the million guineas filly?

Traditionally this 6f maiden goes the way of a brilliant Aidan O'Brien filly. Four-time Group 1 winner Misty For Me scored in the 2010 race (on her second outing), while Yorkshire Oaks heroine Tapestry was successful on debut back in 2013. His other recent winner was Toogoodtobetrue - also victorious on her second run.

Despite a couple of runners with experience in this line up, the market centres around O'Brien's two-year-old daughter of Galileo - and she goes by the name of Key To My Heart. She was purchased for 1,300,000gns and is related to 1m4f winner Cole Porter. To be honest; for that money, I'd want the real Cole Porter.

When they cost such an eye-popping amount, and especially priced around 7/4, my gut instinct is to take them on. The fillies with experience include Hunaina (who I put up last weekend) and Velveteen. The latter ran in Roly Poly's maiden and she can improve, whilst Hunaina still looked green at Fairyhouse to finish with a flourish to nab second.

The other Ballydoyle contender Hydrangea is a likelier type on pedigree, she has some pace in her ledger and also a pair of juvenile winners including The United States - who won on his two-year-old debut.

It's a fascinating race, but might not be a punting medium for a few, with just too many question marks. Hydrangea at 13/2 on the Sportsbook is tempting on pedigree, but the odds are short enough on Key To My Heart to lay.

14:35 Curragh - Fox on the run?

Trainer Brendan Duke is the man for this race, he bids for his third successive victory in this nursery handicap with Landline - who begins with a mark of 74. Meanwhile Aidan O'Brien's Istan sets the standard from a mark of 82. He was beaten six days ago at Killarney over 1m, and in four starts to date, has to his name a 1.42 in-play defeat. I'm to be convinced about the colt's pace for the drop back to 6f, therefore I will give both the swerve.

Fox Dream is the interesting one and there are two ways to play her.

She made the running to dead-heat in a 7f race at Listowel recently, and she has quite a nice way of going about her business. It was a good performance with a chunk of improvement, after hinting at a touch of ability at 20/1 on debut at Dundalk. It won't be a problem for her coming back down in distance.

The two-year-old is a much larger price than Istan, and presents back-to-lay material here from around 7.5013/2. Her sire is the Aussie shuttle stallion Foxwedge - who has produced nine individual winners to date and imparts a bit of toughness as his offspring seem to be taking their racing well.

15:05 Curragh - Boldy go in with Final Frontier

The Group 2 7f Minstrel Stakes looks a cracker, and I'm taking a swing here at Final Frontier at 25/1 on the Sportsbook. Surely that's too big?

He looked a seriously good horse on debut last season; when sweeping to the front to win a Curragh 6f maiden by four-and-half-lengths. He followed that with a successful strike in the Anglesey in July 2015. He later ran with credit in the Group 1 National Stakes behind Air Force Blue. Overall - a rather decent juvenile campaign.

At one stage he was a 25/1 shot for the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket, but there's only been one sighting this season. That came at Newmarket last month, and he was well down the field.

I just cannot forget the style of his first two wins however, and the Jessica Harrington-trained three-year-old has got the ability to settle off a decent pace to produce a massive burst of acceleration and 7f is his trip.

He's been written off too early, and whilst he might not be the same horse as last season judged on the reappearance, the price more than compensates for that. Harrington also landed this in 2008 with the brilliantly-named Jumbajukiba.

15:40 Curragh - Bolger's filly takes step down in class

I'll keep this brief.

Siamsaiocht hasn't quite cut it at Group or Listed level this season, and drops down in grade to a fillies' handicap. She races from a mark of 91, and judged on her two-year-old form - that could prove to be a decent one. After all - she ran fairly close against Alice Springs on her debut in 2015, unfortunately she just hasn't kicked on since then.

She has made the running before, and seems to stay 1m4f - so I would like to see a positive ride here dropped down to 1m. The ground will pose no problems, and the cheekpieces are off. Around the 10.09/1 mark, she is worth a go considering the easier opposition here.

16:15 Curragh - Tanaza to show true colours this term

What a contrast of two seasons for Dermot Weld's Tanaza.

Her juvenile campaign last year was almost top notch. She scooted to win her first two races, claiming the mighty scalps of Minding and Alice Springs on quick ground. She wasn't disgraced in finishing fourth in the 2015 Group 1 Moyglare either - a top renewal that included Minding, Ballydoyle and Alice Springs.

There could be a question mark that she hasn't trained on. But I'd be surprised if that were the case considering she is by Dubawi.

Her two runs this term can be excused; as she didn't show up at all in the Irish 1,000 Guineas at the Curragh (possibly unsuited by soft). However, there was a little bit of encouragement at Royal Ascot when last seen in the Coronation. Weld's filly was trapped on the inside, and was still travelling as well as anything else turning for home. Having been checked three times down the straight, that put paid to her chance in Berkshire.

She still holds a top level entry later in the season, and she might just enjoy the switch to a quicker surface.

16:50 Curragh - Stepping into new territory with Glamorous Approach

Glamorous Approach is the only three-year-old in this 2m handicap, and she's the only one who hasn't raced over this sort of trip. However, Jim Bolger's filly is the best horse here on official ratings with a mark of 102 - but she's been running over much shorter.

Her latest effort was a complete blowout - finishing miles behind in a Group 3 at Naas. So we have to forgive that.

The daughter of New Approach won the Listed Zetland at Newmarket last season (over 10f), and Bolger earmarked her as a potential Oaks filly.

It's obvious she's been crying out for a step up to 1m4f, so I'm intrigued to see her over this marathon test against stronger stayers. But she is bred to be a better three-year-old, and could be the class act here.

Sunday's Recommended Bets (all one point at the Curragh)

Lay Key To My Heart @ 2.809/5 in the 14:00
Back Fox Dream @ 7/1 Sportsbook price in the 14:35
Back Final Frontier @ 25/1 Sportsbook price in the 15:05
Back Siamsaiocht @ 9.6017/2 in the 15:40
Back Tanaza @ 5.509/2 in the 16:15
Back Glamorous Approach @ 4/1 Sportsbook price in the 16:50