Racing/Curragh Preview: Three home-trained fillies take on a trio of British runners in today's Group One Audi Pretty Polly Stakes and it looks like the sole three-year-old Alexander Goldrun may come out on top.
Those who made the decision to increase the number of Group One fillies races this season were probably hoping for stronger heats than this but it looks an ideal opportunity for Alexander Goldrun to score at the top level.
Jim Bolger's ultra-tough runner was attempting something of a "mission impossible" when trying to match strides with Attraction in the Irish 1,000 Guineas but nothing else even tried and it looked an A1 effort on her part. In that light, her subsequent fourth to Latice in the French Oaks was disappointing but a slow start was blamed and she looks well worth another chance.
Last year's winner Hanami tries again but the main danger to the three-year-old may come from the Chorist, who won the Blandford Stakes on the course last year and looked bang in-form with a victory at Pontefract earlier this season.
Dermot Weld decided earlier this week that Vinnie Roe had an unrealistic weight to carry in the Curragh Cup but the pain of taking him out might have been diluted by the knowledge that he still had last year's winner Maharib in reserve. The four-year-old was surprisingly beaten on his only start this term by Jade Quest in the Vintage Crop Stakes at Navan but should be a different proposition now.
The Whistling Teal and Dubai Success represent Britain while the dark horse is Mikado, a winner at Listowel and Leopardstown last year, but Maharib can complete back-to-back victories in the Group Three pot.
Lisieux Orchid runs off 85 in the mile and a quarter handicap but wasn't beaten that much by Danelissima in a Group Three last time out while Spirit Of Age should improve for her first start of the season in the mile maiden.
Tomorrow's main supporting event is the Group Two Railway Stakes which may not have the Norfolk winner Blue Dakota but does have the unbeaten Ballydoyle colt Russian Blue.
Aidan O'Brien gives Solskjaer, a half brother to Yeats, just the third start of his career in the Celebration Stakes and there was enough in the colt's defeat of Red Feather at Naas to suggest he should cope with the step up in class and trip.
Hanabad's only previous start at five furlongs was a Cork defeat last year but he should be a different proposition now in the King Of Beers Stakes while Glocca Morra is preferred in the six furlong handicap.
