It wasn't a great end to the week for my picks.At Downpatrick Dalileo was 6th,the 7/4 favourite chased the leaders early but was 6th 4 out. He made some headway sitting 4th 2 out but a slight mistake at the last meant he made no impression on the run-in with the 25/1 shot Ringhill Lady winning by 1 1/2 lengths. At Wexford Meticulous was a non runner leaving the 11/8 favourite Merry Doyenne to win by 2 3/4 lengths.
It's Irish Guineas weekend and if The Curragh passes a 7.30 am inspection on Saturday morning (parts of the track are waterlogged with a further 5mm of rain forecast.) then the big race will be the 3.20 when 12 start the Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas. Lucky Vega is already a group one winner on this course taking the Phoenix Stakes back in August and he made an excellent return finishing 3rd in the English 2000 behind Poetic Flare at Newmarket at the beginning of this month. He will be a big horse over a mile this season and has a very good chance back on home soil. It's only been 3 weeks since Poetic Flare's victory at Newmarket but he goes again here. He only managed to finish 6th in the French Guineas last weekend but a quick turnaround means he can't be dismissed. La Barrosa won a maiden at Ascot and a group 3 at Newmarket last season and made a good return finishing 2nd in the Craven also at Newmarket in April. He definitely has more to offer and can go well here. Trainer Aiden O'brien has 3 runners and all have a good chance. Wembley won at Roscommon in August and had 2 good group one seconds in the Vincent O'brien on this course and the Dewhurst at Newmarket before finishing a disappointing 11th in the English 2000,he will do better here and challenge. Van Gogh picked up a good win in the mud at Saint-Cloud in October and was the best of his yards finishers at Newmarket 3 weeks ago coming 8th,he has plenty more to offer and can't be discounted. The other O'brien runner is Battleground who after winning the Chesham at Ascot and the Vintage Stakes at Goodwood went off as favourite for the Guineas at Newmarket on his return however he didn't look at home there and finished 13th,he will do better here and could spring a surprise.
Big race prediction: 5: Lucky Vega.
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