Charlie McCann's Horse Racing Tips Sunday, 9 August - Curragh & Leicester
Charlie heads to Leicester on Sunday for his best bet
It's a busy day of racing action in the UK and Ireland, and Charlie McCann is here with his exclusive free horse racing tips - only at FreeBets.
4:00pm Curragh - Celeron & Folsom Blues
I am keen to take on the short-priced favourite Sun Goddess in the Group 1 6f Phoenix Stakes for two-year-old colts and fillies.
Aidan O’Brien has not landed this prize since 2022, and I wasn’t overly impressed with the filly Sun Goddess when she landed the odds in a Group 2 over course and distance last time. That race came only eight days after finishing second in the Albany, but the form of that Royal Ascot contest is not working out well.
Yes, it is possible that the race here came too soon after Ascot, but I thought it was quite laboured, although she has been given six weeks to get over her win in the Airlie Stakes. She receives 3lb from the boys and has been backed from 7/4 to 5/4, which suggests “the lads” are confident of a big run, but I have backed both CELERON and FOLSOM BLUES, although both would, in my opinion, benefit from an additional furlong.
Celeron disappointed at Royal Ascot, but the further he went, the better he looked when scoring by 3l over course and distance in the Group 2 Railway Stakes under Oisin Murphy, who retains the ride last month. He hit the line hard here last time, and connections nominated the 7f National Stakes as his likely next target, but connections must feel that this is a very winnable Group 1.
Folsom Blues was held up out the back from the worst of the draw at Leopardstown over 7f last time, and Dylan Browne McMonagle had to sit and suffer as they made the turn into the home straight. He finished well but never looked like getting to the winner and was still over a length behind at the line.
This straight six furlongs may still be on the sharp side for Joseph O’Brien’s son of Blue Point, but as mentioned earlier, this wouldn’t be the strongest juvenile Group 1 on the racing calendar, and I thought 8/1 was too big.
Recommendations: Celeron - 3/1 with Paddy Power & Folsom Blues - 8/1 with Ladbrokes
5:19pm Leicester - Ricardo Phillips (Nap)
The veteran Pisanello has won his last three and has only gone up 9lbs for that hat-trick of wins. He goes well for his talented apprentice and, while those three successes have come over shorter than ten furlongs, the nine-year-old gets this trip well.
I think this rests between last month’s course and distance 1-2 Clipsham Noble and RICARDO PHILLIPS (Nap), and hope to see the latter reverse the form on 2lbs better terms for that nose defeat.
Rob Hornby was in the saddle here last month, and he is at the meeting, but Nicola Currie returns to the plate despite the fact that she is 0-5 on the five-year-old, and the selection, arguably, ran a career best under Hornby last time. I hope the loyalty of trainer Henry Candy – who also owns the gelding in partnership – is rewarded.
That said, it is possible that Hornby got there too soon here last month, and he was mugged close to home by Clipsham Bay, who was gaining a second course win and a 2lbs rise looks fair. Currie rode a winner for the yard at Windsor on Monday, and the hope is that she can steer the selection home in a fascinating finale.
Recommendation: Ricardo Phillips (Nap) - 5/2 with bet365
The nearest I got to a recommendation at Chepstow was the filly Symphony’s Song in the finale, but she didn’t look too keen coming out of the stalls at Sandown last time.
In-running betting is not everyone’s cup of tea, but if she breaks on terms, I may back her as I thought she ran a promising race at the Esher track last time.
*Betting odds correct at the time of publication. All odds are subject to changes.
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