4:20 Curragh Tips

A competitive renewal of the Irish Lincoln on heavy going, which should suit this horse. Very consistent last year but finished off at Doncaster with a disappointing effort. On her reappearance last spring, she finished second over course and distance. If fully tuned up, she could go close with Colin Keane taking the ride.

Looks weighted to get involved with Murphy aboard, who is 2/2 a place on him. He’s 0/13 on turf but has hit the crossbar a number of times. Never involved at York last time. The time before that he was a decent 2nd, giving 11 lbs to a horse now rated the same as him (95). Horses in behind have done something for that form too. That run was on soft ground, and he’s got a couple of sound efforts on heavy going to his name. 3/5 a place in the cheek pieces, he’s got a sound reappearance record, almost matching a peak RPR of 102 on reappearance last year, whilst finishing close behind Jayarebe as a 3yo. His big-field record is a negative on the face of it, but he has had excuses on almost every occasion. He should be one of the more forward ones from a lowish draw, so hopefully he’ll have some more luck in running here, and the lack of overall pace should help him.

Winner of this race last year and defends his crown from a six pounds higher mark. Will handle the heavy ground and he'll receive maximum assistance from the saddle with Ryan Moore booked.

Has won on 2 of 6 starts. Looks to be on a competitive mark, having not been seen since September. Drops in trip and holds an each-way chance if finding best form.

There doesn't look to be much pace on offer here, and I can only see two likely front-runners: Grey Leader (stall 23) and Jessie Harrington's Norwalk Havoc. Preference is for the latter, who has heavy-ground form of 1-1-2-1, with the three most recent efforts in Listed company, including two starts back. A mark of 103 is plenty in this race, but I think the ground and the likely pace of the race both swing things in his favour. Tongue tie and cheekpieces go back on, having been missing on his final start last term but in place for his Listed win. Looks a big price to me.

His last three starts have all come on heavy ground, with a record of 1st, 1st, 2nd. The first of those wins and the second both came over course and distance, with 22 and 23 runners respectively. He will relish the conditions as well as the big field.

Tuscan Hills returns from a long break but did win on his racecourse debut. This horse makes his handicap debut having been highly tried in the Dante Stakes and Derby (became unbalanced) when the distance looked to be too far. He is better judged on his comfortable success in a Pontefract Listed race over one mile on soft ground. Conditions would appear to suit today, and retained jockey David Egan is in the saddle. Trainer Robson de Aguiar saddled a winner on Friday.

Dutch Gold is trained by the great Noel Meade and is the mount of very useful apprentice Reese Holohan (25% strike rate). Dutch Gold drops back to a mile but does race keenly, so today could be the day. Each-way chance.

Syzygy has won her last three races in a row. What’s more, today’s heavy ground suits her perfectly, as does the track here at The Curragh, where she has a record of two wins from two starts. Starting the season with a win looks like a perfectly achievable task.

Won well. Latest start last year and this has been the aim since. Potentially well drawn and, with conditions to suit, can go close.

Ribee is a real mudlark and will have conditions to suit today. He may well be keeping on when others struggle. He looks a decent shout at 20/1.

Won twice over a mile last season at Navan and Naas before misfiring a couple of times laterly, finishing down the field in a Listed event. Back down a couple of pounds here today. Will need a return to form, but that is not out of the question after a break. The trainer has been in reasonable form since the start of the year with a couple of wins and a few places.

At the age of 2, he established himself as a winner on soft-to-heavy ground, clinching a competitive maiden at the Curragh. His capability over 1m is evident, having secured victory in the Group 2 Beresford Stakes over this trip on yielding ground, proving he can perform well at a high level. Although his career has faced interruptions, being by Time Test out of a Galile mare means he is bred to cope with tough conditions, making him an appealing option at 40/1 with six places on offer.

The ground may be too testing for a win bet, but with six places on offer it could run into the money if it can translate its recent all??'weather form onto turf. Following the removal of the crown jewels, it sparked into life with back??'to??'back wins on polytrack at Dundalk. Jockey Corn helped it home in one of them and is back on board.

Titanium is a 7-year-old trained by Ciaran Murphy and ridden by Rory Mulligan. Titanium likes the ground here and is 7-17 at this distance. Won at this C&D four starts back off a mark of 74. Runs here off 84 but has won off a mark as high as 87. With six places on offer and 28/1 odds, Titanium could sneak into the places here.

With six places paid, I suggest an each-way bet at these huge odds. Yes, he has a welter burden today, but this horse has been Group 2 placed, so he is clearly the class act in this field. Remarkably consistent, and he gets on well with this jockey. Long absence and top weight notwithstanding, he looks set for a big race.

With six places on offer, Pink Oxalis looks worthy of consideration for a place. The mare has won over course and distance and won't be fazed by the conditions. She can return to form after a warm-up race outing following a break.

Nice stampede to start off the Irish flat season, and I've landed on one that looks promising in Narlita from the H. Rogers yard. It's had a couple of seconds here before, showing a liking for the course. Siobhan Rutledge gets the ride, and she doesn't get fazed in these types of races. Early season and maybe one to watch. Looks overpriced.

Grey Leader has drifted quite markedly in the market here but remains of interest now at a big price on first start for the Burns stable. Excellent jockey Nicola Burns claims a 5 lb allowance. Nice draw in stall 23. Good winner over nine furlongs on heavy ground at Tipperary in October off a 2 lb lower mark. Six-year-old with five wins from 22 starts, so potentially pretty interesting.

Sienna's Girl finished 2nd last time out and carries a nice, low weight in this competitive handicap. She should be fine on the ground and can reward each-way support in this race.

He spent his training period in France, and the typically very soft ground there should have prepared him for today’s heavy going at Curragh. He already has a win to his name, and given that the top six places will be in the money today, Dark Summit is well placed to secure one of them.