The Curragh, Friday 9th August

The Tetrarch

This is an evening meeting, first race at 17:15.
It is the first of four Friday evening meetings at The Curragh in August 2019.

I am a little surprised at the large size of the fields: 31, 19, 22, 5, 11, 32, 21.
The 32 runners in the 20:00 5f handicap are running for a first prize of Euro 6,796.50.
The horses are rated from 76 down to 47, very low quality.
Winners: the bookmakers. Losers: the owners; the punters.

The Phoenix Stakes, 6f, Group 1, at 18:50 has the unbeaten Siskin at odds on.
In the Phoenix Sprint Stakes at 19:25 I notice Clive Cox has Shades Of Blue, the only runner from abroad.
She is a filly, and they might be hoping for a bit of black type i.e. placed 1, 2, or 3.

Confusing race names: Phoenix Stakes followed by the Phoenix Sprint Stakes.
That is almost as bad as the 1000 Guineas Trial at Leopardstown and the 1000 Guineas Trial at Leopardstown - two races, same name, different days.

PhuckHugh22

Dont think you are looking at final decs there. For one the max field size at the Curragh is 30 runners and that only happens a couple of times a year. Dont think this race is one of them.

Shades of Blue also not running.

The Tetrarch

The Tetrarch wrote: »

I am a little surprised at the large size of the fields: 31, 19, 22, 5, 11, 32, 21.

You are right.
The fields are now 19, 14, 9, 5, 9, 22, 13.

The Tetrarch

On the straight course 5f, 6f, 7f, 8f are the high draw numbers the stand side?

yaboya1

The Tetrarch wrote: »

On the straight course 5f, 6f, 7f, 8f are the high draw numbers the stand side?

Yes

antietam

Keep a very close eye on Damian English's Trading Point in the last but he is short 3weeks work due to standing on a nail if not tonight then nto at Naas.Take this advice.

gillamandango

Very unlucky, got ‘stung’ by the rag..