Rest of Saturday card

1.30 Juddmonte Chaldean Irish EBF Maiden 7f

The seven-furlong maiden won by Dorset here on Irish Derby weekend has already been boosted by runner-up Benvenuto Cellini winning decisively at Killarney this week, while the eighth-placed All Hail was second at Navan on Sunday, so there’s every chance that was a decent contest. New Zealand, a Ballydoyle stablemate of the winner, was only seventh on that occasion but shaped with a nice deal of promise and looks the type to improve with more racing. With Ryan Moore preferring him over Aidan O’Brien’s unraced pair of Action and Isaac Newton, this Frankel colt out of Albany Stakes winner Different League gets the vote to open his account at the second attempt.

The Donnacha O’Brien stable is in red-hot form at present, including with winners in the two-year-old division, so it will be intriguing to note whether there is confidence behind Night Of Thunder newcomer Shaihaan. He cost 180,000gns as a yearling and is out of a listed winner over a mile and a half. Go Just Do It looks the pick of Joseph O’Brien’s three runners on jockey bookings, while Seoul Force was sent off 2/1 favourite against the talented Daytona when third on debut at Gowran Park so could prove a fairly useful type for Jessica Harrington.

SELECTION: NEW ZEALAND

Next best: Shaihaan

2.00 Kwiff Supercharged

Betting Scurry Handicap

(Premier Handicap) 6f 63yd

She’s been a touch frustrating to follow in some of these major sprint handicaps here, as she looks to have the ability and hasn’t always got the bounce of the ball, but Greek Flower is given another chance to pick up one of these. Several found it tough to make ground from off the pace at the Curragh on Irish Derby day and perhaps she fell prey to that factor last time in the Rockingham after getting behind early. She’s a well-handicapped mare on her best form and Rory Mulligan’s 7lb claim means she effectively runs off 8st here. Johnny Feane’s sprinter was second off 85 in this race 12 months ago and is now down to 80.

In contrast, last year’s winner, the ultra-admirable Big Gossey, is running off 12lb higher than when capturing the 2024 renewal and must shoulder 10st 3lb (before Robert Whearty’s 3lb claim is factored in). That said, he’s in better form this season and can never be taken lightly at his favourite track. Cases can be made for a host of these too. Fort Vega and Heavenly Power finished one-two in a Cork premier handicap over seven furlongs last month and should be to the fore again. British raider Canon’s House is upped in class but does have real momentum behind him, chasing a fourth straight success. Gazelle d’Or is technically 5lb out of the weights but is consistent and can probably relied upon to show up well again.

SELECTION: GREEK FLOWER

Next best: Big Gossey

2.35 Gain Railway Stakes

(Group 2) 6f

Just the four runners in the line-up, and Queen Mary Stakes scorer True Love is bound to be at the top of most lists after her smart Royal Ascot victory 31 days ago. Her previous domestic form had been nicely boosted by Gstaad at the Royal Meeting, and Lady Iman before then, so she makes plenty of sense as the likely winner.

However, at the anticipated prices, Power Blue could be a little underestimated for Amo Racing and the Adrian Murray team. He only finished a head behind True Love in listed company here three starts ago and is 2lb better off now, his three-quarter-length second to Albert Einstein in the Group 3 Round Tower was a rock-solid showing and he probably ended up on the less-favoured side when fifth to Gstaad in the 20-runner Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot (finished second in his group). He’s only rated 1lb inferior to the favourite, and the same owners won this race with a beaten Royal Ascot two-year-old in 2021 in the shape of Go Bears Go. Learntodiscover finished a neck in front of Puerto Rico last time in a maiden and both looked to need improvement to reach the group standard achieved by the top two in the betting.

SELECTION: POWER BLUE

Next best: True Love

3.05 Barberstown Castle

Sapphire Stakes (Group 2) 5f

This has cut up slightly from what was a sizzling field of entries on Tuesday, but it will still take some winning. Given how prolific British sprinters have been in Ireland for a number of years now, it’s tough to get away from Mgheera, who is a Group 2 winner from last time at Haydock in the Temple Stakes but does not have to concede a penalty due to the race conditions. She’s been thriving for Ed Walker this season and comes here fresh, having been withdrawn from the King Charles III Stakes where she spread a plate at the start. The booking of Ryan Moore is another strong positive.

Rumstar bounced back last time at Sandown and was supplemented for this earlier in the week. He’s versatile in terms of ground and ought to be bang there if this isn’t coming too quickly, having been to Royal Ascot before his Group 3 victory over She’s Quality a fortnight ago. Arizona Blaze’s last-time-out second in the Commonwealth Cup makes him the pick of the home team, though Powerful Nation is a three-year-old on the up for the Andy Slattery team and this will be a fair barometer of how well he’s progressing.

SELECTION: MGHEERA

Next best: Arizona Blaze

4.15 Michael John Kennedy

Curragh Cup (Group 2) 1m 6f

This is the first time that Al Riffa has been tasked with going further than a mile and a half, but Joseph O’Brien was making noises that he’d likely go up in distance anyway before his fine second at Royal Ascot behind Rebel’s Romance in the Hardwicke Stakes last time. If he stays, this looks a smart piece of placing as he doesn’t have to carry a penalty for his Group 1 win in Germany last season and he’s officially at least 10lb superior to his rivals here.

Shackleton’s fourth in the Queen’s Vase two starts ago was encouraging enough, and Scandinavia, who finished a neck behind him there, has advertised the form well since (even if runner-up Furthur bombed out at Newmarket last week). The three-year-old gets an 11lb pull at the weights from Al Riffa and is of interest in this company, if his eighth in the Irish Derby just 20 days ago hasn’t left a mark. Harbour Wind has plenty to find on ratings but ran better than his finishing position suggested last time in a messy handicap on Irish Derby weekend. Don’t rule out a big run from him at an each-way price.

SELECTION: AL RIFFA

Next best: Shackleton

4.50 Lavazza Sprint Nursery Handicap 6f

This first nursery of the season has been won by Joseph O’Brien for four of the last five runnings, so his sole representative Which Wolf Wins obviously is worth a second look, though his form means he needs to improve and he’s 2lb out of the handicap. Instead, the prize might be heading to Aidan O’Brien as a case can be made for his Extravagant. Runner-up to Group 3 second Green Sense on debut here in April, he missed 55 days before coming back for a seven-furlong maiden at Fairyhouse and finishing a reasonable third to a decisive winner (since a shade disappointing in fourth in listed company, rated 87). There should be progress to come given he’s only had two runs and he’s bred to be much better than his mark of 83, as a Wootton Bassett half-brother to Group 1 winner Cloth Of Stars.

Johnny Murtagh is well able to win nursery races and always seems to emerge with a winner or two from these big weekends at the Curragh. His Kodi Bear colt Nakamura looks like he’s getting the hang of things with each run and he has form from last time at Roscommon with the same horse who Extravagant finished behind at Fairyhouse. Joint top-weights Parkside Lad and Stop The Nation deserve to be where they are in the handicap on what they’ve achieved thus far.

SELECTION: EXTRAVAGANT

Next best: Nakamura

5.25 Cavalor “Bronchix Pulmo” Irish EBF Fillies & Mares Maiden 7f

Johnny Murtagh won this race 12 months ago with an Aga Khan filly making her fifth start, while rated 77. This time around, he is represented by another Aga Khan filly on the same number of runs, rated 75, in the shape of Shelbiana. Her recent third at Leopardstown was the first time we’d seen her since October so natural improvement should be on the cards, and that was probably in better handicap company than this maiden.

A wide draw in stall 14 mightn’t be ideal, but the same can be said for many of her main rivals, including Proxima Centauri, who must overcome stall 20. Alpha Centauri’s third foal hasn’t run for 281 days so would be entitled to come forward for this outing. Still, she has a more attractive profile than most in here. Minaun View has a hood fitted for the first time and will be competitive if running to her rating of 80, while newcomers Therewillbeglory (Andy Slattery) and Tina’s Charm (Dermot Weld) are worth keeping an eye on.

SELECTION: SHELBIANA

Next best: Proxima Centauri