The Data Detective: clues for The Curragh on Sunday

The evergreen Big Gossey is a standing dish at The Curragh, winning 11 of his 51 races at the course.

He’s also been placed a dozen times at the track, including when runner-up to Comanche Brave in Group Two company on his latest start. He finished stronger than all bar the winner that day and now drops in grade.

Raaheeb is an exciting, unbeaten colt who can become the fourth British-trained winner of the Irish Derby since 2015.

He flashed all his potential when completing the final furlong of the Classic Trial at Sandown in April in 12.74 seconds. RaceiQ has 566 horses to have run over ten furlongs at Sandown in its database and that is the 23rd highest, with most of those above him running in slower-run races or on faster ground.

William Haggas has a great record with his Curragh raiders and his King Of Earth is interesting here, making his handicap bow in first-time cheekpieces.

The trainer has had 53 previous runners at the track and almost 55 per cent of them have won or been placed. King Of Earth looks on a handy mark and he got a Time Index of 8.4, when the meeting average was 6.4, when winning from a wide draw at Wolverhampton last time. 

Truth Be Told swept home from last to first in a steadily run race at Leopardstown last time and can follow up. The Too Darn Hot gelding was still last of the 12 runners half a mile from home but a 12.58sec seventh furlong (second best) and 12.27sec (also second best) eighth furlong enabled him to pass three rivals.

There was still plenty to do but his 11.83sec penultimate furlong – he was the only runner to dip under 12sec for a furlong at any stage - and 12.37sec final furlong (easily quickest) saw him zoom to the head of affairs.

He was a full 1sec quicker than anything else over the final three furlongs, and that can be upgraded, too, as this was not a fast-run race which fell in his lap. On the contrary, the Time Index was 4.8, when the meeting average was 5.2, and 1.03sec slower than Par. 

Truth Be Told is now two from two when racing beyond a mile and hold-up tactics have unlocked hidden potential. He took this off a rating of 80 and races off 87 here, but that need not stop him going in again. His winning time was less than 1sec slower than the Derby Trial earlier in the afternoon.