Champions' Weekend Day 1 Tips

Lil Sophella ran a very frustrating race at Musselburgh and Jack Garrity didn’t cover himself in glory. She didn’t help her cause by being tardy from the stalls (again) and she gave them a bit of a head start. Lil Sophella was still last as they turned for home but even though she had them all to pass 3f out there were few travelling better.

Garrity switched her wide 2f out and just as she was about to be unleashed down the outside the gap he was aiming for closed. Once that happened her chance was gone, just like our money. The frustrating run continues but hopefully we can pinpoint a winner or two this weekend. Check out my selections for Day 1 of Champions Weekend at Leopardstown below.

It could be a good day for Dermot Weld.

RACE 1

A competitive looking maiden gets the action underway on what is a cracking card at Leopardstown and the Aidan O’Brien trained favourite Bye Bye Baby is sure to be popular dropping back into a maiden after a creditable run in Group 3 company last time. However, while his claims are obvious I prefer the chances of the Dermot Weld newcomer Clique, a 2yo son of sire of the moment Bated Breath.

This colt has reportedly been working extremely well on the gallops and it says a lot that Weld has chosen this weekend for him to make his debut. He is out of a Listed winner and his half brothers Convey and Stronghold both won Group 3s. His siblings all handled a bit of cut in the ground so the good to yielding surface at Leopardstown should hold no fears and at odds of 5/1 he is the selection.

STEVOS’ SELECTION: CLIQUE @ 5/1 WIN

RACE 2

Another race where the favourite is trained by Aidan O’Brien and that will be a recurring theme this weekend given the unlimited amount of ammo he has at his disposal. Delano Roosevelt is the choice of Ryan Moore for this 8f Group 3 and the son of Galileo was admittedly impressive when scoring over course and distance on debut back in July. Warm The Voice was third home that day and he has advertised the strength of the form with two wins since.

However, I prefer the chances of another O’Brien entry, Nelson, a son of Frankel who made a big impression on me when he won over course and distance last time. This son of Frankel took a couple of starts to get the hang of things but the way he got the job done suggested to me he is more than worth a crack at this level. He is out of Oaks winner Moonstone, he is a half brother to a pair of Group 3 winners and at odds of 15/2 I think he is well worth chancing each way.

STEVOS’ SELECTION: NELSON E/W @ 15/2

Henry De Bromhead has done well with his flat horses this season.

RACE 3

A very tricky looking 13f handicap and a case can be made for the vast majority of this field. In races of this nature small stakes at big odds is the way to go and at a nice each way price I think Daybreak Boy could go well for Henry De Bromhead with Pat Smullen booked. De Bromhead has been doing really well on the level this season and this 4yo son of Kingsalsa has won two of his four starts since making his debut at the tail end of last season at Gowran, both wins coming when ridden by Pat Smullen.

He was well beaten that day at Gowran but he made no mistake next time at Dundalk when hosing up in a mile maiden under Pat Smullen. He was put away after that and reappeared in June with a decent run at Gowran 9.5f gd when beaten 4L by the 100 rated Tennessee Wildcat who he was conceding 5lb to. He followed that up with a nice win upped in trip to 12f at Fairyhouse in a rated race, conceding 7lb to the 91 rated San Remo and beating him by over a length. He is a half bro to an Aussie 2mile listed winner so the extra furlong should be no issue, he has a great draw in stall 2, Smullen is unbeaten on him and off a mark of 90 he looks well worth chancing each way.

STEVOS’ SELECTION: DAYBREAK BOY E/W 20/1

RACE 4

As regular readers will know I am not a fan of tipping up favourites but sometimes the correct answer is the most obvious one and it looks to me like Eziyra will be very hard to beat in this 12f Group 3 contest with ground and trip both ideal. This lightly raced 3yo daughter of Teofilo has a fine record when there has been cut in the ground and her only below par run on an easy surface came on her seasonal reappearance here in a Listed contest back in June.

She followed that up with a fine effort behind superstar filly Enable in the Irish Oaks on ground plenty quick enough for her and at a time when Weld’s horses were struggling for form. Eziyra was mightily impressive last time out when hosing up in a soft ground 12f Group 3 at Cork and in receipt of weight from the likes of US Army Ranger and Spanish Steps I think she is definitely the one to beat at odds of 11/8.

STEVOS’ SELECTION: EZIYRA @ 11/8 WIN

RACE 5

I have tipped one up for this race for Mybettingbonus and you can see what I fancy by clicking here.

David O'Meara holds a strong hand in this race.

RACE 6

Seven horses go to post for the Group 2 Boomerang Stakes and the one I keep coming back to (excuse the pun!!) at a nice price is the admirably consistent Custom Cut. David O’Meara fires two bullets at this race and Suedois is the more fancied runner and the choice of stable jockey Danny Tudhope. The former French performer has obvious claims and ran a cracker at York last time, but he has yet to win at further than 7f and I am not sure he will get a mile.

Custom Cut, on the other hand, won this very race two years ago and he ran a cracker in 2nd last year. He had to give best to Alexios Komnenos here last time out when 3rd beaten 1.5L but he was conceding 9lb to that rival that day and he is 4lb better off now. From 8 visits to Leopardstown he has finished outside the first four just once and with an ease in the ground here his form figures read 2112. The 8yo son of Notnowcato isn’t getting any younger but he showed last time that plenty of ability still remains and at odds of 12/1 he looks well worth chancing each way.

STEVOS’ SELECTION: CUSTOM CUT E/W @ 12/1

RACE 7

The big one, The Champion Stakes, and I have tipped one up already for Mybettingbonus. Find out my selection by clicking here.

RACE 8

A nice and easy 18 runner handicap closes proceedings on Day 1 of Champions Weekend and a case can be made for plenty in this 7f battle charge. If the ground was good or better I would be very sweet on the chances of Geological for Damian English as he is on a winnable mark and he is drawn to attack in stall 2. If there isn’t a huge amount of rain and conditions dry out he could definitely be worth a flutter at odds of 40/1 (paddy power 5 places). He is probably worth having a small each way saver on in what looks a wide open race.

Over 7f at Leopardstown the draw is absolutely crucial and if you are drawn high it is a massive disadvantage. One at a big price that could go well from a decent draw in stall 4 is Holy Cat for Qatar Racing and Michael O’Callaghan. This 3yo filly has been highly tried at times since her debut win here (6f gd/fm) and she was only beaten 4L in a Group 3 on her second start. She has failed to hit those heights this season but she ran a nice enough race after a slow start at Dundalk last time (6f). She stayed on well that day off a mark of 93 so 7f should be okay, her half sister won on soft and off 8 pounds lower (Sean Davis claims 7lb) with the first time visor applied I think she looks a potential improver at odds of 18/1.

STEVOS’ SELECTIONS: HOLY CAT E/W @ 18/1 GEOLOGICAL E/W @ 40/1 5 PLACES