Al Haarith

(Joseph O’Brien)

Curragh, June 28th

An educational run on debut will surely make Al Haarith tough to beat in a decent two-year-old maiden for Joseph O’Brien before likely progressing to better things. There is a definite case for the four-and-three-quarter-length third running with much more promise than the bare margin suggests.Drawn in stall 13 of 13 runners, he wasn’t rushed up early and got behind in a race where the first two home sat in first and second after a little more than a furlong and a half. Dylan Browne McMonagle was patient in asking for his challenge on the Lope De Vega newcomer, waiting for a gap to appear down the inner, and the manner in which he quickened up was really encouraging. He was faster than anything else from four furlongs out to three furlongs out, and again from the three to two-furlong pole. He has a smart pedigree as a brother to dual Group 3 winner Antonia De Vega.

Love Billy Boy

(Ger O’Leary)

Curragh, June 29th

It paid to be handy on several occasions over the weekend at the Curragh and traffic issues, combined with that pace preference, probably prevented Love Billy Boy from collecting in the €100,000 Dubai Duty Free Derby Festival Handicap on Sunday. Ger O’Leary’s excellent 32,000gns buy out of Richard Hannon’s yard can be a bit of a hostage to fortune in that he tends to be held up, and he got within three quarters of a length of bringing up a hat-trick last weekend. It’s worth watching back how short of room he was at key stages late on. For all that he’s now up 3lb to a mark of 96 - now on a career-high rating - he’s in the form of his life and mightn’t be done with yet. Perhaps he might be one for the Sovereign Path Handicap at the Irish Champions Festival if getting a clear run. That seven-furlong contest (at a track where he’s won before) favoured hold-up horses in the last two years, with Broadhurst and Dance Night Andday both winning from well off the pace.

Beset

(Joseph O’Brien)

Curragh, June 29th

The €100,000 Ragusa Handicap over a mile and a half on the same card proved a tactical affair, with three lengths covering the first nine home. From the older guard, Harbour Wind caught the eye in seventh and remains of interest if getting a clear run at the rest of the season, but the third-placed Beset looks one who is still ahead of the handicapper after a 2lb rise for this. Room was tight for several in the field, and this shrewdly-sourced 25,000gns purchase out of Henry Candy’s yard wasn’t immune to that. After getting a good position, it was a little disappointing she couldn’t hold it and, as a result, the lightly raced four-year-old ended up behind runners waiting to deliver her challenge fully. She did well to only be beaten three quarters of a length in the circumstances, and perhaps she might stay a little further than a mile and a half too. A mark of 84 still looks workable.