Get Ready for the Curragh: Key Races & Expert Tips This Saturday The Curragh hosts a high-class eight-race card on Saturday, the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes taking centre stage with Aidan O’Brien chasing a remarkable 18th win in the race. There’s some strong supporting action, namely the Group 3 Phoenix Park Sprint, as well as a fascinating juvenile maiden, which has attracted a maximum field of 30 runners. The action kicks off at 13:45 and runs through to the finale at 17:40 and our expert, Marcus Buckland, has provided selections and analysis for three of the races on the card. Saturday’s Tips 14:50 Curragh - Yellowstone Lake 16:35 Curragh - Gazelle d’Or 17:40 Curragh - Esherann 14:50 Curragh - Yellowstone Lake Paddy Twomey has had some talented juveniles through his yard in recent seasons and Yellowstone Lake might be the latest, the daughter of Sioux Nation well entered up and having already shown a good amount of ability on her debut behind one of her opponents here, Fairy Oak. The 185,000 euros breezer was doing much of her best work late on when getting within a neck of Michael O’Callaghan’s odds-on favourite over 6.5 at Leopardstown last month. She enjoys a 4lb pull at the weights with that filly and this extra half-furlong is very definitely in her favour. She’ll likely need to score here if she’s to justify her engagement in the Group 2 Debutante Stakes back here later this month. 16:35 Curragh - Gazelle d’Or The Michael Grassick-trained Gazelle d’Or tasted defeat for the first time in three appearances at the Curragh when fourth in the Scurry Premier Handicap over 6.5f last month, but it was yet another career best-effort for the three-year-old, who was wrong at the weights and met trouble in-running at a vital stage. A narrow winner over 6f here in April off 73, she then defied a 2lb rise when scoring more convincingly over this course-and-distance in June. Up another 7lb to 84 after that, she was forced to run off 89 last month, but flew home to snatch an unlikely fourth. She’s gone up another pound to 85 since, but she’s theoretically better off on this occasion, able to run off her correct. A return to 5f is of no concern and Wayne Lorden, who was aboard for her course-and-distance win, is reunited with her. 16:50 Curragh - Esherann Dermot Weld’s Esherann could still be a potential blot on the handicap, despite being comfortably held on his handicap debut over 1m1f at Leopardstown last month. The son of Wootten Bassett, who ran to an impressive Racing Post Rating of 92 when opening his account over a mile at Naas in June, didn’t run badly on handicap debut, but he’s likely to be happier now back down in trip and there’s possibility that his first-time visor (which replaces cheekpieces) could bring about further progress. He’s had only four starts so far, whereas many of his rivals are fully exposed, so this surely represents a very winnable race for the half-brother of Group-placed Erzindjan.
