BEST of the BETS

3:00 Curragh - Listed Tetrarch Stakes

This race continues to serve as a good trial for the Irish 2000 Guineas even after being downgraded to Listed status, having provided 2 of the last 3 Guineas winners. 6 of today’s 10 runners hold an entry in the big race but I have backed one that doesn’t, FLASH GORDON (13/2) was very impressive in making a winning debut at Naas last time. Yes he had a favourable draw, but runner up Clashaniska was also drawn right next to him but selection beat him easily by 3 lengths, which is about the same distance Clashaniska had finished behind I Am Superman (who is the favourite today) on debut last season. Ok, Clashaniska is still a maiden but is pretty consistent and is rated 80, 5th (Zodiacus) & 6th (Opening Verse) who were both also making their debuts won their maidens next time, Zodiacus winning easily finishing over 5 lengths ahead of a 75-rated horse, Opening Verse winning in very similar time to other division of the race won by a 79-rated horse. All of this suggests to me that selection’s Naas win is pretty strong form. Having said that, he does still need to improve as this is Listed class, I think this extra furlong can see him make some improvement, one little worry I have is that Jessica Harrington’s are usually ready to go first time and they don’t always show huge improvement 2nd time, but hopefully this one can show enough. Harrington has had 2 runners in this race before, both had a bit more experience, Brother Bear (2018) placed 3rd @ 7/1 with a rating of 102, and Drumfad Bay (2017) placed 2nd @ 14/1 when rated 97, note the race was run at Naas last two seasons. The other once-raced unbeaten colt Shelir is the main danger in my view, form of his debut win is not as strong as the selection’s but he may have more improvement, and his trainer Dermot Weld has a very good record in this having won it 3 times in last 5 seasons (at prices of 10/1, 11/2 & 2/1), and he holds a Guineas entry too. Of others, the favourite I Am Superman (also entered in Guineas) comes here in great form having won two handicaps in impressive style but steps up in class now. Aidan O’Brien runs two, he used to run his top Guineas contenders in this but that hasn’t been the case for long time now, these days he tends to send his best ones to Newmarket before running at the Curragh. Last time he won this was with France in 2003, since then he has had 20 runners in this (12 of them priced under 5/1) without a win, so that is a pretty poor record (watch one of his win now just to prove me wrong lol)

I hope Flash Gordon can win but backed it each way as I think he has good chance of being in first 3 at least.

Good luck.