Cork Sunday: Jaega Has a Mighty Oaks Chance

Dermot Weld has a very promising filly on his hands in Jaega, and she is taken to improve for fast ground in the Munster Oaks

15:20 Little Hours Gig July 13th Handicap

Captain Power makes most appeal in a trappy handicap, and he looked on the way back to his peak when third at Listowel last time. That run was an improvement on his reappearance, and the handicapper has been kind enough in leaving him alone for that effort. He’s 5lb below the mark he scored off at Fairyhouse last July, although it should be noted that there was a generic adjustment of flat handicap marks at the end of last year. He still looks better treated than most of his rivals, with Togovile and Kindly handicapped more on recent AW form, and Count of Carabass up 5lb for a narrow win over C&D which looks harsh enough on balance of form.

Tip: Back Captain Power

15:50 Munster Oaks Stakes

Bloomfield is a likeable and progressive filly who is the one to beat on form, but she’s shown her improvement on much softer ground, and needs to prove she’s as effective on a quick surface. That comment also applies to Oaks fifth Flattering and Dermot Weld’s Jaega, although the latter is very much bred for this ground, and may be better than she’s shown in two starts in the mud. Jaega is out of an unraced close relative to a useful multiple winner in Genius Boy, whose wins all came on quick ground or polytrack. Sire Fastnet Rock produces smart winners on both fast and slow going, and Jaega hold all the big entries one might expect of a highly-regarded middle-distance filly. After just two runs, there must be more to come, and she can give Weld a fourth win in this contest in the last decade.

Tip: Back Jaega

16:20 Cork Derby

Moonmeister is a tentative suggestion to follow up last year’s victory, and he looks to have been laid out for this having shaped as if short of peak fitness in a handicap won by Aared at the Curragh last time. He’s fared well with the draw on the face of things, and he has similar conditions to those he faced when winning 12 months ago. He was ridden by a talented claimer last year, and the shrewd Tony Martin turns to the promising Ben Coen here. Coen only rode his first winner under rules in November, but has 40 victories to his name on the competitive pony-racing circuit, and is good value for his claim.

Tip: Back Moonmeister