Sunday 16th March 2025
2.10 Curragh: Nua Healthcare Handicap: My first selection of the day on Sunday comes within the 2.10 at the Curragh where we see the return of the flat on the turf. We have a whole host of competitive handicaps on the day and this particular affair is contested over six furlongs. I’m taking a chance on Rathbranchurh here for the team of Michael Mulvany and Wesley Joyce who takes off five pounds. He goes well on soft ground, which he’ll encounter here, and he’ll contest this race off a mark which is four pounds below his last winning one. He’s run well between five and seven furlongs in the past, and he’s also gone well fresh before. Rathbranchurch – 14/1 (Each-Way) (4 places)
2.40 Curragh: Nua Healthcare Handicap: Next up for me will be the 2.40 which is more handicap action over six furlongs. I’ve tried my hand with two picks here, as I couldn’t really split them. The first of which is Go Athletico for Adrian McGuinness and Colin Keane. He’s got a whole host of form in graded contests, including at the top-level, and could prove a cut above here in handicap company. He’s also a course and distance winner. I also like the ten-year-old Laugh A Minute for Stephen Thorne and Chris Hayes. He won at this meeting in 2022 and 2023 and was also third last year, most notably, all of those runs coming off considerably higher marks than the number he’ll run off today. He’ll be race-fit having run at Dundalk last month and despite his age has every chance of going well again. Go Athletico – 8/1 (Each-Way) (4 places) & Laugh A Minute – 8/1 (Each-Way) (4 places)
3.45 Curragh: Nua Healthcare Irish Lincolnshire: The feature race of the afternoon comes up at 3.45 at the Curragh and this is the Irish Lincolnshire, a Premier Handicap that’s contested over a mile. I like Raadobarg here for the team of Raphael Freire and David Egan. His form fell away last term; however, his best run of the campaign was his first one, and that came in this race when he finished third and just a length and a quarter behind the winner. That run also came off a ten pound higher mark than the one he’ll contest this year’s renewal off, he appears to save his best form when fresh and I think he can post another big effort here. Raadobarg – 12/1 (Each-Way)
4.55 Curragh: Download The Tote App Handicap: My fifth and final selection of the afternoon comes within the 4.55 and this handicap action over a mile. I’m taking a chance on Royal Pippen in this for Paul Flynn and Luke McAteer. He hasn’t been in the winner’s enclosure for a very long time, however, his recent efforts haven’t been totally devoid of hope, and he’s continued to tumble down the weights. Both of his career victories to date have come on ground with soft in the description, with the most recent success coming off an eighteen pound higher mark. I think that he could run a big race here. Royal Pippen – 7/1 (Each-Way) (5 places)
