Tahiyra (right) beating Meditate at Curragh in September© Photo Healy Racing
Trainer Dermot Weld is looking to bag back-to-back Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas with hot-favourite Tahiyra, but the favourites have a poor record in this fillies Classic and she could be worth opposing.
Only 3 of the last 13 favourites have managed to win the Irish 1000 Guineas and the race history is littered with short-priced favourites that have got beaten including the likes of Minding at odds of 4/11 in 2016.
Tahiyra certainly arrives with the form to win. She was only narrowly out-pointed in the Newmarket equivalent three weeks ago when she went down by just half a length after a protracted battle with Mawj.
She has winning form over the course, when she defeated Meditate in the Moyglare Stud Stakes here back in September, and has also won on Good ground which she will encounter again here.
The one slight worry about Tahiyra is the relatively quick turnaround from a hard race in Newmarket. Dermot Weld has previously given her longer breaks between her races, but if she produces her A-game here she will most likely win.
The bookmakers know that Tahiyra is the most likely winner and have priced her accordingly at very short odds.
So, let’s take a look at the opposition to try and find some value. The aforementioned Meditate represents Aidan O’Brien who has won this race ten times before. This filly started even money favourite to beat Tahiyra in last season’s Moyglare Stakes and was a proven top class performer at two.
Meditate beat Mawj in the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot last season and also won the Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Keeneland over today’s race distance. She ran disappointingly on seasonal debut in the Newmarket 1000 Guineas behind Mawj and Tahiyra where she finished in sixth place of the twenty runners, more than 10 lengths off the front pair.
The soft ground at Newmarket would not have suited Meditate and If you are willing to forgive her that below par seasonal reappearance she looks to have a solid each-way chance and on her best juvenile form and is closely matched with the favourite Tahiyra.
Aidan O’Brien has two other fillies in the line up, the most interesting of which is Jackie Oh who has been supplemented for today’s race. This daughter of Galileo didn’t race at two, but scored on debut at Naas in March before getting beaten over a longer distance at Navan the following month. Both those races were on Heavy ground and as she is the least exposed of the ten runners in today’s race she cannot be ruled out with any certainty now she encounters quicker ground.
Dermot Weld, who is going in search of a sixth victory in this fillies’ Classic, also saddles Tarawa. This filly, the mount of Billy Lee, has only raced on soft ground in her three races to date, but may well improve considerably on today’s quicker surface. All her relatives have appreciated better ground and according to her trainer she possesses a lot of speed. She is another to consider in terms of making the frame today.
If placing bets on the Curragh action today check out the odds offered by leading online bookmaker bet365. This bookmaker offers enhanced odds on one horse in each race in both Ireland and Britain every day.
Bet365 is also offering enhanced place betting terms in the Barberstown Castle handicap at 2.15pm where you will get paid out down to fourth place on each way bets on this 15 runner race.
