Black-Type Analysis: Rose Bowl Stakes Sees Return Of Wise Approach, As Irish Oaks Field Is Drawn

[Wandering Eyes]

Friday, Newbury, post time: 16:10, THE IRE-INCENTIVE – PAYS TO BUY IRISH ROSE BOWL S.-Listed, £45,000, 2yo, Open, 6f 0y

Field: Amorim (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}), Do Bronxs (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}), First Legion (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), Kolkata Knight (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}), Nuevo Slovo (Ire) (James Garfield {Ire}), Rock On Thunder (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Wise Approach (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}).

TDN Verdict: TDN Rising Star Wise Approach sets the standard on his Norfolk Stakes second, with this trip sure to suit better than the five at Ascot. Amorim broke his maiden by six lengths at Windsor last month and comes here with confidence high, which may not be the case with the Coventry and Norfolk also-rans Rock On Thunder and First Legion. [Tom Frary].

Friday, Hamilton, Britain, post time: 19:10, BRITISH STALLION STUDS EBF GLASGOW STAKES-Listed, £55,000, 3yo, 11f 15y

Field: Arabian Force (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Great David (GB) (Ribchester {Ire}), Nahraan (GB) (Make Believe {GB}), Rogue Millions (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Square D'Alboni (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}), Tiernan (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Secret Of Love (GB) (Sea The Moon {Ger}).

TDN Verdict: Two-for-two entering this St Leger pointer, Nahraan will carry the burden of favouritism given his profile and connections but he'll have to be as progressive as he promises to be with some proven black-type performers in here. Secret Of Love was runner-up in the Cheshire Oaks, backtracked in the Prix de Royaumont but retains potential as one of those prized Kirsten Rausing homebreds. [Tom Frary].

Saturday, Curragh, post time: 15:40, JUDDMONTE IRISH OAKS-G1, €290,000, 3yo, f, 12fT

Field: Bay Colony (Ire) (New Bay {GB}), Butterfly Wings (Justify), Island Hopping (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Merrily (No Nay Never), Minnie Hauk (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), Subsonic (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Wemighttakedlongway (Ire) (Australia {GB}).

TDN Verdict: Few will bet against Minnie Hauk completing the Oaks double in this impoverished field which doesn't deserve its Classic status. Only the well-beaten Oaks fourth Wemightakedlongway and a relative miracle stands in the way of Ballydoyle's Epsom heroine and it will be one of the biggest upsets of recent times if she can't get the job done. This race says more about the state of modern European racing than it does about the protagonists, three of which come from the long odds-on favourite's own yard and have been found wanting of late. [Tom Frary].

Saturday, Curragh, post time: 14:35, GAIN RAILWAY STAKES-G2, €72,000, 2yo, 6fT

Field: Learntodiscover (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}), Power Blue (Ire) (Space Blues {Ire}), Puerto Rico (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), True Love (Ire) (No Nay Never).

TDN Verdict: This is slightly more of a poser than the farcical feature, despite having just four runners led by Ballydoyle's Queen Mary winner True Love. More macho than most colts, she looks to dominate the Marble Hill runner-up and Coventry fifth Power Blue and last month's course-and-distance maiden one-two Learntodiscover and Puerto Rico, with the latter representing Rosegreen's boys' brigade. [Tom Frary].

Saturday, Curragh, post time: 15:05, BARBERSTOWN CASTLE SAPPHIRE STAKES-G2, €72,000, 3yo/up, 5fT

Field: Erosandpsyche (Ire) (Sepoy {Aus}), Rumstar (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}), The Highway Rat (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}), Mgheera (GB) (Zoustar {Aus}), Arizona Blaze (GB) (Sergei Prokofiev), Powerful Nation (Ire) (Sioux Nation), Grande Marques (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus]), Songhai (Ire) (Sands Of Mali {Fr}).

TDN Verdict: At last, a Group race not in name only. Mgheera won the Temple in the manner of an improved mare and has unfinished business, having been forced out of the King's Stand with a spread plate. She is taken on again by compatriot Rumstar, who was below-par when sixth at Haydock in between taking the Palace House and Sandown Sprint but the three-year-olds could hold the key. Arizona Blaze gave his all in customary style when second in the Commonwealth Cup and will be a tough nut to crack, while the Midsummer Sprint winner Powerful Nation promises to make his mark in this category. [Tom Frary].

Saturday, Curragh, post time: 16:15, MICHAEL JOHN KENNEDY CURRAGH CUP-G2, €72,000, 3yo/up, 14f 16yT

Field: Al Riffa (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Harbour Wind (Ire) (Nathaniel {Ire}), Leinster (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), London City (Justify), Queenstown (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Uxmal (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Comic Book (GB) (Frankel {GB}), Drawn To Dream (Ire) (Iquitos {Ger}), Shackleton (Ire) (Camelot {GB}).

TDN Verdict: A welcome drop in class for Al Riffa, despite this race mysteriously holding the same status as the Hardwicke in which he was a gallant second last month. While the trip is an unknown, the quality gap isn't with Ballydoyle's perpetually-disappointing Shackleton the most likely danger if he can pull his finger out with weight-for-age to help. It is interesting that the Niarchos Family have held on to a six-year-old gelding, but then Uxmal is a Royal Ascot winner whose form figures read well on the face of it. [Tom Frary].

Saturday, Newbury, post time: 14:57, THE HALLGARTEN AND NOVUM WINES HACKWOOD STAKES-G3, £85,000, 3yo/up, 6fT

Field: Diligent Harry (GB) (Due Diligence), Elite Status (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}), Ferrous (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), Jarraaf (GB) (Zoustar {Aus}), Khaadem (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), King Of Blue (GB) (Blue Point {Ire}), King's Gamble (Ire) (Kingman {GB}), Regional (GB) (Territories {Ire}), Russet Gold (GB) (Al Kazeem {GB}), Fair Angellica (GB) (Harry Angel {Ire}), Rage Of Bamby (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}), Ain't Nobody (Ire) (Sands Of Mali {Fr}).

TDN Verdict: Time for the real Kind Of Blue to stand up, please. Unrecognisable this term, the sprinter seemingly destined to reach even greater heights at four is threatening to head into the abyss and unfortunately this is a category that takes no prisoners. Last year's winner Elite Status is another going the wrong way and this really could be a straightforward task for the King's Stand regular Regional, who is too hardened to give any quarter. [Tom Frary].

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