Flat Racing - Sunday 10th

[robertob]

15.20 Curragh: Kateeva @ 10/1 Paddy Power The heavy ground will play a crucial factor tomorrow at the Curragh and I feel that Kateeva could be very much involved here for that reason. She didn't show much this season so far but is now down to a handy mark again. Most importantly she needs cut in the ground to be seen at her best as two of her three career wins came on soft ground, the third one came at Laytown beach which is a deep surface too. Her last win came at Listowel last September, when she won on soft ground of a mark off 58 in impressive style by more than 3 lengths. She now only 2lb above her last winning mark and has tomorrow the solid apprentice LF Roche in the saddle who claims valuable 5lb. She has also a perfect draw, close to the stands rail, so I expect her to go well.

[Edberg]

Re: Flat Racing - Sunday 10th 3.20 Curragh ALLEGRA TAK 5pts to win @ 5/1 bog (Paddy Power) Daughter of Invincible Spirit who loves testing conditions and showed it once again yesterday bolting up at Navan winning a (47-75) handicap over 5f in very testing conditions racing off a mark 72 with the second beaten by 3.75L and in impressive style (soon led, ridden clear over 1f out, kept on strongly final furlong). This 6yo mare will race off 77 under a 5lb penalty today but should be still way ahead of the handicapper under these conditions. This race is a bit tougher but Allegra Tak won already over C&D last July in a (60-90) handicap with £11.2k to the winner (50-80 with £7.2k to winner today) off a mark of 72 with Pat Smullen on board (booked again for today's race) and bolted up winning by 3.5L that day with very good handicappers in behind (second finished an 85-rated mare who ran with a 7lb claimer on board and 4th a 90-rated filly who ran with a 5lb claimer on board that day). She had also finished second of 12 (beaten a neck) in a 9k handicap over 6f at Leopardstown off 76 and third of 14 three weeks ago over 5f at Navan but on fast ground. Her record on ground softer than good is impressive: 4 wins, 2 seconds in 8 races (unplaced when raced off 84 and 80 and both times the ground was just good to yielding while on yielding to soft or soft she's never finished out of the first two) and her overall record in 18 starts on turf reads 4 wins, 2 seconds and 2 thirds so all her best efforts came with ease in the ground. The H.Rogers' yard have had two winners yesterday from three runners (at Navan) and therefore it's in sparkling form. Pat Smullen didn't have a winner in the last fortnight since the impressive success of Speaking Of Which in a Listed here at the Curragh 15 days ago (as well as Dermont Weld of course) but that doesn't mean he's lost his class and is still one of the top 3 flat jockeys in Ireland (rode 1000 winners in the last 12 years in Ireland always keeping a respectable 15% strike rate).