Royal Scotsman should improve in Irish 2000 Guineas off troubled trip at Newmarket
After a seriously troubled trip in England, Royal Scotsman could win the first Group 1 of the Irish racing season on Saturday at The Curragh.
Royal Scotsman is one of 10 3-year-olds entered in an apparently modest renewal of the Irish 2000 Guineas, and things hardly could go as poorly for him at The Curragh as they did May 6 at Newmarket.
In the English 2000 Guineas, a straight-course mile contested this year over a very soft Newmarket racing surface, Royal Scotsman got into traffic and into trouble almost from the start. Pulling hard on the reins, perhaps as much as anything because of the claustrophobic circumstances, Royal Scotsman was buried between and behind rivals for the better part of six furlongs. Finally clear, he set out after the two leaders, Chaldean and Hi Royal, and with one final bit of trouble was forced down toward the inner rail by a wandering Hi Royal.
It’s likely no one was beating Chaldean in the Guineas, but Royal Scotsman was second best considering the circumstances. In the Group 1 Dewhurst last fall he was beaten just a head by Chaldean. Royal Scotsman should appreciate good ground Saturday and have no trouble adapting to the mild single bend in the Irish 2000 Guineas. His regular rider, Jim Crowley, has other commitments Saturday, and Jamie Spencer (a name that strikes fear into the heart of many American horseplayers) picks up the mount for co-trainers Paul and Oliver Cole.
While Hi Royal finished in front of Royal Scotsman three weeks ago, he was a 125-1 shot who might have benefited from course conditions and certainly did not benefit from weaving all over the course in the final 1 1/2 furlongs. Chances are he’ll fail to repeat the performance.
Ryan Moore rides Paddington for Aidan O’Brien and Coolmore, and this colt is not without a mild upset chance. While he has yet to prove himself over firmer going and makes his group stakes debut, Paddington won the listed Tetrarch Stakes, a one-mile race at The Curragh on May 1, with something to spare.
Post time for the Guineas is 10:40 Eastern. You can catch all the action a DRFBets.com.
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