Irish Preview: September come early?

There’s some interesting pattern-race action at the Curragh on Sunday, but the clear standout is the Debutante Stakes, which has the makings of a cracking renewal. Aidan O’Brien has farmed the race in the last decade, and he holds superb claims of winning it for the twelfth time on Sunday, firing both his star two-year-old fillies Happily and September at the feature.

Jockey bookings can often send betting markets and punters into disarray, especially where Ryan Moore is involved, and his decision to ride Happily in favour of September can’t have been an easy one. The performance September put up in the Chesham at Royal Ascot was backed up by an exceptional timefigure, and the runner-up Nyaleti has since boosted the form in no uncertain terms. September is 7 lb clear of Happily on Timeform ratings, but she is a rather neat filly, and may lack the size and scope to progress at the same rate as some. Happily is a full-sister to Ballydoyle’s high-class miler Gleneagles, and she has made giant strides in her three runs to date. She was backed as if defeat was out of the question when winning the Silver Flash Stakes at Leopardstown last time, and duly landed the odds in the style of a smart filly, doing well to pull so effortlessly clear off a steady pace. O’Brien also runs Magical, who is a full-sister to Rhododendron, and she confirmed her debut promise without necessarily improving when winning a Cork maiden this month. She was made to work harder than her short odds suggested, but she had more in hand than the head winning margins suggests. Magical needs to leave the bare form of that win behind, but is entitled to have a crack at this given her profile. The main opposition to Ballydoyle may come from The Joseph Murphy-trained Shekiba, who improved as expected from her debut to win in likable fashion at Galway earlier this month.

The Futurity Stakes is the first group race on the card and was won by subsequent dual-Guineas winner Churchill last year. There doesn’t appear to be a horse of Churchill’s calibre in this year’s renewal, but Theobald comes out top on Timeform ratings following his second to The Pentagon in the Tyros Stakes at Leopardstown last time. He won’t have a horse of that calibre in front of him on Sunday and another bold bid is expected. Rostropovich, who failed to land the odds in a minor event at Naas last time, looks the likeliest danger. He wasn’t seen to best effect given how the race developed, conceding first run in a three-runner field, and he certainly remains with potential.

Declarationofpeace cost a hefty $2,600,000 as a foal, but he has a bit to do if he’s to justify that price tag. He looked potentially smart when winning a maiden at Dundalk on his second start, but he has failed to progress in two starts since, finishing last of 22 in the Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot and seventh of eight in the Phoenix Stakes last week. However, he still sets the standard in the Curragh Stakes, and the drop back to the minimum trip may help. There are a few interesting types in opposition, though, including Emadee, who created a favourable impression when winning on her debut at Naas last time. She was backed at long odds and knew her job, though did well under the circumstances as she overcame trouble in-running to beat a trio who already set a fairly useful standard. She seems sure to improve for that experience, and is worth a crack at this. True Blue Moon and Goodthingstaketime, the latter who finished runner-up to a subsequent winner, also remain with potential.

The Royal Whip Stakes hasn’t attracted a big field, but those who are taking their chance are all closely matched on Timeform ratings. There isn’t an abundance of pace in the race on paper, and there is a chance this will turn tactical. One who has made the running to win twice in the past is Shamreen. Pat Smullen will be privy to the fact of a possible easy lead, and if he takes the race by the scruff of the neck, then Shamreen could prove tough to peg back. Central Square comes out top on Timeform ratings, and he ran up to his best in the York Stakes last time, but the lack of pace is certainly a concern for his prospects.