Dance to Irish 1000 Guineas win

The Irish 1000 Guineas can go the way of the Dermot Weld filly DANCE PASS who is well worth a decent each-way bet at 14/1 with Paddy Power (only 9/1 with Ladbrokes). She is classically bred being by Sadler’s Wells out of a Darshaan mare and was only 2 lengths behind Again on her only run last year, possibly finding the good to firm ground a bit lively.

On her reappearance she again ran ok on possibly unsuitably fast ground in the 1000 Guineas trial won by Maoineach. She was held up there but made up a lot of ground to take 4th in the 7f contest. She then won her maiden well earlier this month over a mile with a little juice underfoot which should put her spot on for this and she will be guaranteed to stay this mile in heavy ground.

Weld and Smullen won this 3 years ago with Nightjar and went close with Mad About You last year. Rare Ransom looks to be in there as a pacemaker for both Dance Pass and Weld’s other decent sort Luminous Eyes, so stamina in this ground will be vital, as will fitness, which may find out both her stable-mate Luminous Eyes and favourite Again.

A bigger danger could come from the Wachman ‘2nd string’ LOVE BIRD who trotted up in a heavy ground Curragh maiden contest a few weeks ago, is totally unexposed and being by Pivotal is bred to relish these conditions. Heffernan won the Irish Guineas last year and in 2001 and also made the frame in 2007 and 2006 so it’s by no means a negative that he is on board the ‘2nd string’ as he clearly relishes the occasion here so she is worth a couple of pts each-way also at big odds of 11/1.

Dance Pass is also entered for the Epsom Oaks and Sadler’s Wells-bred fillies that win the Irish 1000 Guineas can also go on to win (Imagine) or run 2nd (Yesterday) in the Oaks. The Oaks looks particularly weak this year and a good performance here could see her odds shorten dramatically for Epsom. It’s a big stab in the dark but I recommend a 2pts each-way bet for the Oaks at a massive 50/1 with William Hill (25/1 with Totesport) to supplement our only other previous bet on Beauty O’Gwaun who was not so impressive in her trial but may still line-up at Epsom for John Oxx.

Curr3:40 DANCE PASS 5pts each-way @ 14/1 (P Power)
Curr3:40 LOVE BIRD 2pts each-way @ 11/1 (Bluesq)

Oaks – DANCE PASS 2pts each-way @ 50/1 (William Hill)