Johnny Ward's Irish angle: Rattling can be Jewel in the crown
By Johnny Ward
Last Updated: Tue 5 Dec 2023
Our man in Ireland fired in Red Avenger at 11-1 and Low Sun at 100-30 last weekend in his regular tipping column on Irish racing and he has five best bets in Ireland this time.
What an exciting weekend it must be to be involved with the Ballydoyle barn, with half-a-dozen runners at Sandown and Ryan Moore jetting off to Belmont Park for their international meeting.
I was shocked that Aidan O'Brien made the call to run Saxon Warrior in the Coral-Eclipse so soon after he ran in the Irish Derby, and in the age of the top three-year-olds having such a short shelf life in terms of racing, this is an anomaly to be cherished at Sandown.
Dropping back to ten furlongs (effectively) looks a good move, and it might just be that Donnacha O'Brien will get on better with him than Moore.
I enjoyed a smashing evening at Bellewstown midweek and the County Meath track eases into day four of its July Festival, while there are three other meetings this weekend in the homeland.
Saturday:
Johnny Ward
Finished: 2ndSP: 9/4
Rattling Jewel can be deemed Nicole McKenna's stable star in the brief spell in which she took over the running of a yard that was previously that of James Lambe.
The son of Royal Applause did tremendously well for her - he won two Curragh handicaps last summer and returned to that track to be third off 90 in September.
By the time he departed Ulster for the barn of Joseph O'Brien, he had dropped to 75.
As such, it was no surprise that he was sent off so short in the market on both starts since – 4-1 at Naas and 5-2 at the Curragh last weekend – and he went close to justifying the market prominence with two excellent runs in second.
His narrow second to Alfredo Arcano was achieved in a race in which the highest-rated participant was 92.
Dropping to a 45-75 contest here, having actually gone down 1lb in the weights, he looks something of a handicap certainty for his Irish Derby-winning barn.
Johnny Ward
Finished: 5thSP: 12/1
It was interesting to hear some people giving out about the ride Billy Lee gave True To Herself at Limerick last time. It was a ridiculous lack of race-reading that shows why bookmakers make money.
She now drops from 1m to 6f; I am not sure that will suit.
This is quite competitive but, as a trial for this event, Little Clarinet was an eye-catching fourth here in mid-June for David Marnane.
She is down to a rating of 65, has first-time cheekpieces, and won easily over this 6f at Leopardstown last summer.
Johnny Ward
Finished: 3rdSP: 20/1
During the Punchestown Festival Le Braye went to Perth and got up near the wire to win at the Scottish course off a British mark of 100, higher than the one he has here.
He looked inconvenienced by dropping back in distance when fourth at the Scottish venue a couple of days later, and clearly ran as if something were amiss at Tipperary last time.
The excellent Gavin Cromwell has freshened him up and he could be a bit of value here on just his 15th career start, with the odds likely to overstate the significance of his defeat at Tipperary.
Sunday:
Johnny Ward
Finished: 1stSP: 6/4
Aidan O'Brien gave best to son Joseph in the Irish Derby on Sunday and a similar scenario likely befalls the great man here.
Coral Beach seems to have plateaued at best after four starts, maybe even regressed, so much so that even her rating of 79 may not reflect her ability now.
In contrast, Joseph O'Brien's Vallambrosa bettered her fine debut run with a most honourable fifth in a Group Three last time.
By a stallion I like a lot in Holy Roman Emperor, she should win this, especially as the Ger Lyons-trained newcomer Osmosis is not hugely appealing on paper.
Johnny Ward
Finished: 4thSP: 9/2
Lady Camelot ran a somewhat curious race at Down Royal last month in the Ulster Oaks on her first try beyond a mile when she was strongest at the wire.
I expect this extra 2f at 1m4f will suit her more and, dropped 2lb kept against her own age-group, she could be a bit over-priced here.
Subjudice is clearly noted on handicap debut, stepping up in distance and being by Galileo.
Johnny Ward's best Sunday bets:
Johnny Ward
Finished: 2ndSP: 9/4
Johnny Ward
Finished: 5thSP: 12/1
Johnny Ward
Finished: 3rdSP: 20/1
Johnny Ward
Finished: 1stSP: 6/4
Johnny Ward
Finished: 4thSP: 9/2
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