The Wine Tipster: “Royal Lytham looks the bet in the Irish 2000 Guineas plus three for Sandown Park”

THERE is still plenty of good racing for us to enjoy with the start today of the two-day Curragh meeting, featuring this evening’s Irish 2,000 Guineas on ITV4 and Racing TV, which certainly looks a classy and intriguing renewal.

Saturday sees the Irish 1,000 Guineas at the Curragh, racing at Doncaster, Newbury, Leicester and the Unibet seven race sponsored card at Sandown. There are three races from Sandown on ITV4 at 2.05, 2.40 and 3.15, with all seven races covered on Racing TV.

I love racing from Sandown and there is plenty of competitive racing as ever, with the Listed Race over five furlongs at 2.40 seeing the return of Sunday Sovereign.

Enjoy Friday and the weekend.

Cheers!

The Wine Tipster

 

Friday

6.40 Curragh – Irish 2,000 Guineas (Group 1) 1m

Siskin and Armory bring the best form to the table, but both have their questions to answer – with Siskin it is the trip, and with Armory, exactly where we are with him after he was panned 20l in a match when last seen – and at the prices, the supposed O’Brien third string, Royal Lytham looks the best bet. This Gleneagles colt is sure to stay the stiff mile at the Curragh and will only improve for a step up in trip this year. Remember he won twice last year, including a Group 2 at the July meeting at Newmarket and he was only a length behind Siskin when a slipped saddle in the Phoenix last year, and I’d expect him to reverse that form here. The blinkers go on, and the rain that’s coming can only help him too.

Unibet 17/2 each way

 

Saturday

2.05 Sandown – UNIBET '15-TO-GO' Every ITV Royal Ascot Race Handicap 7f

Tomfre (nap) ran perfectly well in defeat at Lingfield last week, a track that may well not have suited him, and he can put his fitness advantage to use here. 

Progressive throughout last year, he won four times from seven starts, including twice over today’s trip. On his last start of 2019 he was well in front of Surf Dancer when the pair finished behind Kenzai Warrior in the heavy at Newmarket last year, yet is almost three times the price. The Ralph Beckett yard are now flying, and although he can take a pull in his races, there should be enough pace on for Tomfre to settle. Goes on all ground too, which could be handy, with the possibility of rain around. 

Unibet 9/1 each way

 

2.40 Sandown – UNIBET Scurry Stakes (Listed) 5f

This is a really intriguing contest with the return of Sunday Sovereign, who hasn’t been seen since finishing eighth in the Norfolk at Royal Ascot when favourite and running too free. He’d justified favouritism after showing blazing speed as a 2-year-old, winning twice for Pat Twomey in Ireland and putting Arizona in his place at the Curragh last May as he went. If returning at that level of form, he can, from a decent draw in stall 3, pop out here, grab the rail and win on his debut for Roger Varian. The yard is now really starting to fire and he can outclass these before going on to better things.

Unibet 11/4 win

 

3.15 Sandown – UNIBET Casino Deposit £10 Get £40 Bonus Handicap 1m

Solid Stone form figures on his last three starts in 2019 read 223, including two starts at Sandown, and he can go one better on his first appearance of 2020. Solid Stone put in two smart performances here at the Esher course, finishing runner-up when just beaten over today’s trip and third over two furlongs further. He has since been gelded and this four-year-old, who has given every impression there is more improvement to come, can step up for the Sir Michael Stoute team.

Unibet 5/2 win