Caroline’s Irish Champions Weekend Sunday Racecard for 14th September 2025

Caroline’s Irish Champions Weekend Sunday Racecard from The Curragh

Irish Stallion Farms EBF Bold Lad Sprint Handicap (Premier Handicap) 1.30
Heavenly Power
Right then, it’s a big big Handicap to get us rolling on Sunday, and you know what, I’m playing it a bit safe with Heavenly Power. My reasoning? Well, Edward Lynam’s seven year old has done most of his running on this track, and despite the wide draw can go close judged on his latest second here. The inside draw goes to Heavenly Power’s stablemate, Keke who also has a fine chance in my view, if not getting boxed in, so Willy Lee will have to get him pretty smartly out of the gate. Ollie Sangster has the jolly in the ante post markets, Tuco Salamanca, so these are my three, with Heavenly Power just edging it for me.

Tattersalls Ireland Super Auction Sales Stakes 2.05
Alparslan
Karl Burke has been having a great time of it this season with his Juveniles, so I’m thinking that his Dandy Man colt Alparslan can go close. That said, Clifford Lee has to get a good track position from Stall 14, which is a bit of a negative, but I’ll take that chance. Alparslan was an impressive winner on debut at Leicester, coming home 5 lengths clear of odds-on favourite Quadrillion, but will be giving plenty of weight to Hugo Palmer’s Blingy’s Sister, who is another one well fancied, and I like the booking of Dylan Browne McMonagle. These are the two I like, and I’d expect both of them to be thereabouts.

Moyglare Stud Stakes (Group 1) (Fillies) 2.40
Venetian Sun (nap)
A real cracker of a race this, with Composing and Venetian Sun both oozing class. I think that Venetian Sun is the one to keep on side, we all remember the boss giving her for the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot, and since then she’s won the Duchess Of Cambridge at Newmarket and then the Prix Morny at Deauville, one of the most important Juvenile races in the European Flat Racing season. It was the way Venetian Sun won that French Group One the last day that impressed me, forging clear of Aidan O’Brien’s Gstaad, but now she faces up to Composing, who is on a four-timer here after taking the Debutante in commanding style. Venetian Sun gets the inside draw, and Clifford Lee can use the rail to good effect in a top class showdown with Composing, and that’s my One-two!

Bar One Racing Flying Five Stakes (Group 1) 3.15
Bucanero Fuerte
I mean, I just can’t quite believe the prices on offer for Bucanero Fuerte for the Flying Five. I guess that’s just because of the presence of Australian raider Asfoora, who comes here on the back of another Group One win in the Nunthorpe at York. However, conditions might not quite be ideal for Henry Dwyer’s pacy mare, and just looking at Bucanero Fuerte’s record here suggest it’s going to be a lot closer than the markets suggest. Adrian Murray’s Wootton Bassett colt is four from six here at The Curragh, including when I gave him for the Phoenix Sprint the last day, with this Group One being the target from there. However, it’s not just a straight fight between Asfoora and Bucanero Fuerte, because Adrian Murray also sends out Arizona Blaze, who is far better than his run in the Nunthorpe the last day, and could well bounce back to take this. David Egan I assume got the choice of the Adrian Murray pair, and took Arizona Blaze, but I’ve got Colin Keane on Bucanero Fuerte and that’s good enough for me!

Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stakes (Group 1) (No Geldings) 3.50
Gstaad
This one’s going to Gstaad, who only found Karl Burke’s Venetian Sun too good in the Prix Morny the last day. So now this Starspangledbanner colt steps up to 7 furlongs, and I think that’s the way to go, as this looks if anything, the easiest of today’s Group Ones, though the interesting one is Eve Johnson Houghton’s Zavareti, the trainer that does so well with her youngsters. Charlie Appleby has a decent record in this race too, so Saba Desert has to be on my list, but conditions may not be ideal come Sunday afternoon, so Aidan O’Brien’s second string, Italy can also make the frame. But, Gstaad is the one they all have to beat, and that’s where I’m sticking my pin.

Comer Group International Irish St. Leger (Group 1) 4.25
Al Riffa (nb)
I reckon you’d have to look no further than Joseph O’Brien’s Al Riffa for the Irish St Leger. Already with two Group One’s in the form book, Al Riffa should have the measure of Aidan O’Brien’s Illinois, who would be an easy favourite to back if Al Riffa wasn’t in this field. Given that Al Riffa won the Curragh Cup here over this trip back in July, this looks to have been set as a season’s target, and although Illinois is classy enough, cheekpieces are added to see if there is any more improvement to be had, and I’m of the opinion that Illinois will just fall short. The unbeaten Amiloc justs gets better and better, while Karl Burke’s Al Qareem never seems to run a bad race and completes my shortlist, but it’s Al Riffa to take this.

Moyglare “Jewels” Blandford Stakes (Group 2) (Fillies & Mares) 5.00
Red Letter
No doubt in my mind that this is going to Ger Lyons’ Red Letter. I gave her for the Snow Fairy over 9 furlongs here the last day, and I thought she cruised through that with ease, and she looked a very powerful filly in the process, so I’ve got no hesitation in telling you she’s winning this! Paddy Twomey’s One Look has a superb record here at The Curragh, so has to be given respect under James Doyle, but she’s got to give 6lbs to Red Letter, and I think that could be decisive. Jessica Harrington’s Barnavara is likely to set the pace from the front, and that will be just perfect for Red Letter, who’s taking this.

Irish Stallion Farms EBF Northfields Handicap (Premier Handicap) 5.35
Sujet
I think I’ll be taking a chance on Sujet for the last race here at The Curragh. It may be that Dermot Weld’s Frankel gelding saves his best for better ground, so I’ll be checking in on the weather, but this trip is fine, and the presence of hot favourite Crown Of Oaks, the William Haggas trained Wootton Bassett gelding that lines up here on a hat-trick after wins at Ayr and Ascot, but that last win was just 8 days back, so to me that’s a pretty quick turnaround. Sujet beat a well fancied Ballydoyle favourite, Mississippi River here back in June in a race of this grade, and for me, that stacks up as solid form, so I slightly perplexed at the double figure price available this week. Colin Keane gets the leg-up, and I think Sujet’s going close here to spring one on the jolly. Good luck!