Irish Oaks weekend

It's all happening at the Curragh this weekend and getting things underway is today's feature G3 The Minstrel Stakes over 1400m.

We remember The Minstrel which much affection - a beautiful looking horse who did the right thing by

us a couple of times.

In this one we are going to rely on our old friend Snaefell, racing in the colours of the late Lady Clague

who is also remembered with much affection. He's 8/1. The Cheka is in sparkling form and will be hard

to run down - he's 15/8, and Duff is another old friend and he's 5/1.

Tomorrow we have the Anglesey Stakes for the 2yo over 1200 with the field now down to 8 runners.

Fire Lily is favoured here at 2/1, After at 5/1, but we have a hunch about another O'Brien runner Ishvana

at 8/1. As usual with Irish racing keep an eye on the betting if you can.

The G3 Kilboy is for the older girls over 1800m and there's a good field of 13 for this. Luca Cumani's

Seta hold the call and she either wins or comes 8th - the latter is what she did last time so it should be

a win this time and Kieron Fallon is riding. Jim Bolger's Claiomh Solais is at 4/1 and we rather like

John Oxx's runner Kirinda, with Johnny Murtagh riding.

Now the Oaks - quite interesting and much depends on how you read the Epsom Oaks. The betting is

very much in favour of Epsom 2nd Wonder of Wonders going to reverse the order with Dancing Rain

and Blue Bunting who ran 4th. We are going outside them and will go for Banimpire, a really tough and

genuine filly of Jim Bolger's who had to really battle for her Ascot win but didn't shirk anything asked of

her. She's 8/1.