Today's racing - 3rd April

You have good days and you have bad, and yesterday was a bit of shocker, highlighted by the Brocklesby favourite Redair being beaten by He’s So Cool, which suggested that Bubbly Balerina would have gone close. The football was even worse, although when I backed Everton I knew what I was in for.

That’s why is was such a great boost to see India win the Cricket World Cup as we’d backed them outright and to reach the final. 11/4 seemed short at the time but it sure beat the 8/13 for them to win yesterday.

Onwards and upwards to the Curragh today, where the Irish flat season moves up a little gear with some quality racing (for the time of year at least). A good card starts with another useful looking EBF Maiden at 1.55. I’m a massive fan of one particular strategy in races like this and I’ll say again and again how attractive horses that have had a run are and despite her being well beaten, Gold Lace is of interest.  The place to go may be Ballydoyle for this, seeing as they’ve made a good start to their season, and their horses seem well forward. I’m a fan of this tactic, as the flat’s wonderful continuity means there are prizes for all of the season and if they really want to be spot on for the Breeders Cup, they can have a mid-season rest. After all, the Americans can do it after 10 starts, why not us??

Back on subject, the well-bred pair of Boris Grigoriev and Raphael Santi* are top of the list and preference is for the latter, seeing as he’s quite speedily bred (belongs to the same family as Walk On Bye and Pipalong). It would be no surprise to see Excellent Art be a good first season sire and maybe his first two runners can make a big impact. Jim Bolger won the race in 2009 so his pair must be respected. Dayina is the one bred to want further, while Cheerful Giver could also go well with Danny Moran on his back. I’ll leave Danziger despite his good Italian family.

In the Anne Brewster Memorial Loughbrown Stakes (2.25), I’m taken by the pair of Defining Year and especially Sing Softly, given as they’ve already run once and won once this year. Sing Softly fairly bolted up on her seasonal debut and she should like the step up to 7 furlongs today. I’d take her over Defining Year if they were in a match. 

There’s a worry that the standout Glor Na Mara doesn’t know how to win but he sets a standard that should easily be good enough to outclass him on his seconds to Zoffany, Pathfork and his close up third behind Frankel in the Dewhurst (with subsequent Group 1 winner Roderic O’Connor second) is easily the best form on offer. Take any odds against or anything that’s 11/10 or above.

The Gladness Stakes (3.30) is a very good renewal this year. I want to back Regal Parade badly. His fourth behind Goldkiova, Dick Turpin, and Paco Boy is a class above everything but he’s never won first time out and after that, 7/4 with a big weight doesn’t make too much appeal.  The progressive Emulous commands the utmost respect but I’ll have a little bit on Lolly For Dolly, who is value at the price considering the fact she’s already been seen out and has won well. 5/1 suggests that she’s far inferior to both Regal Parade and Emulous; that’s not true.

The real feature of the day for me and many others is the return of St Nicholas Abbey in the Gladness Stakes (4.00). I rate him that highly that I was seriously considering backing him at 4/11 for this, as he’s going to be too good for Unaccompanied and co, even if he needs the run.

Unbeaten at two having won the Racing Post Trophy by an easy three lengths (showing an remarkable turn of foot for the soft ground), he hasn’t been seen since flopping in the 2,000 Guineas. That may have been put down as a disappointment, but the horses ahead of him that day were Makfi (who went onto win the Prix Jaxques Le Marois, beating Goldikova and Paco Boy), Dick Turpin, (who went onto win the Prix Jean Prat), Canford Cliffs (who went onto then Take the Irish 2,000 Guineas, St James’s Palace, and Sussex Stakes), along with the useful Xtension and Elusive Pimpernel. Taking on crack milers in a slowly run race was always going to be a tough task and at distances like today's or longer, he can make amends for lost time, starting today. 

* Apologies for lateness; Selection void. 

2.75 pts win Glor Na Mara, 2.25 Curragh (10/11 Paddy Power) 

1 pt win Lolly For Dolly, 3.30 Curragh (11/2 Stan James)