Curragh betting tips: Peter O'Hehir's selections for…

Curragh betting tips: Peter O'Hehir's selections for Friday's horse racing action

Siskin is expected to retain his unbeaten record and give trainer Ger Lyons a first Group 1 victory in Ireland in the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh this evening.

The First Defense colt boasts an untarnished record and has already accounted for Ryan Moore’s mount Monarch Of Egypt.

But the heavy rain expected last night, with more forecast today, could tarnish the colt’s prospects of giving Lyons a major boost, eight years after Lightening Pearl’s Group 1 success in the ‘Cheveley Park’ in Newmarket.

Siskin has only raced on ‘good’ or ‘good to firm’ terrain. So, hopefully, conditions will not deteriorate significantly ahead of his 6.50. showdown with three Ballydoyle colts, plus John Murphy’s Think Big.

The selection scored on his debut at Naas in May, beating Harpocrates, and followed-up in the listed Marble Hill Stakes at the Curragh’s Guineas meeting, scoring readily from King Neptune.

Pitched into Group 2 company last time, in the ‘Railway’ over today’s course and distance, he proved even more impressive, coasting home two and a half lengths clear of Ballydoyle hope Monarch Of Egypt.

His victim, successful om his debut in Naas, had missed Royal Ascot due to a setback and, in the words of his trainer, “was only ready to start back’ when he clashed with Siskin.

So, improvement is expected from the ‘Monarch’, the choice of Ryan Moore, ahead of Royal Lytham, narrow winner of the Group 2 July Stakes in Newmarket and, according to the handicapper,4lb. inferior to Siskin.

Ballydoyle are responsible for three of the five runners, as Aidan O’Brien chases a seventeenth win in the race. with Mount Fuji completing the team.

But the race revolves around Siskin, whether he handles the easier ground and whether he has progressed sufficiently to keep Monarch Of Egypt and Royal Lytham at bay.