Nebo comes out best at the weights on official figures here and, with most of his rivals struggling for form at the moment, looks like a solid favourite. After a good fifth in a valuable handicap at Galway, Tom Hogan’s 6yo recorded a second victory this season when winning with authority at Gowran Park last time. Getting to the lead from the plum draw, he set the fractions out in front and won going away. There doesn’t appear to be a huge amount of pace on again here, so it could be more of the same from this son of Kodiac who is relatively lightly-raced for his age.
There hasn’t been a double-figure dividend in this race since its inception in 2010 and we think it’s worth firmly focusing on the top of the betting again here. Already a Group 1 winner as a juvenile, this looks like the easiest opportunity Pretty Gorgeous has had to get her head in front since scoring in the Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket. She didn’t quite get home on heavy ground on her next two starts, before running a belter in a red hot Falmouth, where she ran better than the bare result might suggest. Again, she probably flattened out a little late on, so the drop in trip to the extended 7f here could be spot on for her. She’s the one they all have to beat.
Urban Beat’s third behind Winter Power at York looks all the better after what that one did in the Nunthorpe at the weekend. Johnny Murtagh, who will no doubt still be revelling in his Ebor victory on that card, looks to have another fantastic chance of picking up some prize money with this one, had the reopposing Master Matt behind at the Curragh giving him half a stone, so it’s unlikely he’ll be able to reverse form here. A Group 3 winner on the all-weather, this 6yo could be very difficult to beat here and with three of the last four winners of this race coming out of nine or higher, the draw should provide no issues.
Seamus Fahey’s colt could be the one to side with back up in trip. He was a winner at Bellewstown over a mile back at the start of July and needed every inch of the 8f to get up on the line. Disappointing at Killarney next time, his trainer opted to chance him at sprinting trips and while he’s been running creditably, he just hasn’t had the speed to truly get competitive. That sole career victory came off 4lb lower, so he’ll need a career-best performance here, but we’re banking on this longer trip bringing out a bit of improvement and he looks a solid each-way play.
Summer racing at Tipperary is split between national hunt and flat contests, with the Grade 2 Tipperary Hurdle the most prestigious race held at the venue.
While the course does hold two Group 3s on the flat, it is worth noting the Aidan O’Brien horses in early season maiden’s at the course. The Ballydoyle supremo has sent out the likes of Hawk Wing and Dylan Thomas for their career debuts at Tipperary, instead of opting for the bigger courses such as Leopardstown or The Curragh.
