Monday Racing Tips: White Birch to deliver at Curragh

It’s a busy Bank Holiday Monday, with seven meetings taking place across Britain and Ireland. Chief amongst them is an excellent eight-race card at the Curragh which features some Group and Listed race action. 

First off is the Curragh before they go at Down Royal, Beverley, Windsor, Bath, Warwick and Kempton. We have three strong fancies across the day and these include one for John Joseph Murphy, who finished third in the Derby last year and is bidding for Group 2 glory at the Curragh. Here are my Monday racing tips.

16:10 Curragh - White Birch @ 11/4 

WHITE BIRCH was an impressive winner of his second start as a juvenile but he took his form to another level as a three-year-old, winning the Group 3 Ballysax Stakes at Leopardstown.  

While the form of that victory isn’t out of this world, he went on to finish second narrowly in the Dante and was third in the Derby at Epsom. Any of those pieces of form looks more than fair in the context of this race and he’s definitely capable of coming out on top here. 

It was a game performance when winning the Group 3 Alleged Stakes here last time out and it further proves that this rock-solid horse can go on any ground. He’s entitled to progress at four and should have strengthened up over the winter. 

The excellent Colin Keane is back in the saddle once again and Murphy’s colt gets the nod in this very competitive event. 

15:35 Curragh - Jumbly @ 9/4

Joseph O’Brien’s JUMBLY made her seasonal debut in a Listed race over course and distance and her finishing effort suggested she needed the run.  

This is her ideal trip as she seems to run out of steam over a mile at the top level. This sentiment was echoed by her trainer in his recent stable tour and she can return to winning ways here. 

Failing to win last season, she acquitted herself very well nonetheless and put in some fine efforts, including when narrowly finishing third at Saratoga in Grade 2 company. 

The daughter of Gleneagles would have hated the ground last time out and the slightly better conditions will help. While even quicker ground would be better, she could just about get away with it in this company. 

O’Brien believes his mare has unfinished business this season and it’ll be disappointing for connections if she can’t get her head in front here. 

16:05 Kempton - Quick Draw @ 2/1 

One of Kempton's better races is a fascinating 0-135 handicap chase over three miles and we expect Nicky Henderson’s QUICK DRAW to come out on top.  

The eight-year-old was a comfortable winner at Wincanton when last seen and the second has boosted the form by winning at Cheltenham since.  

A 5lb rise seems more than fair on that evidence and it shouldn’t prevent him from following up. He’s a previous course winner who has won three times and placed a further three times in 10 starts on good ground. 

Nico de Boinville has a good record on this horse so it’s a clear positive that he takes the ride once again. It’s been a tough season for the Henderson yard but they’ve had five winners in the last fortnight and Quick Draw may well provide another. 

Check out our other Horse Racing Tips here.