Shale supporters expecting a lot more on quicker ground The prospect of fast ground at the Curragh this afternoon has encouraged support for Shale in the featured Alwasmiyah Pretty Polly Stakes (3.40pm) with the filly nearly halving in price for the Group 1 test. Donnacha O’Brien’s charge got stuck in the mud at Royal Ascot but was a Group 1 winner here last year in the Moyglare Stud Stakes. She was available at 11/1 overnight but is now as low as 6/1 with BoyleSports and BetVictor, while Santa Barbara remains favourite at a general 5/2. The Paddy Power Rockingham Handicap (3.05) is a typically competitive affair with the David Barron-trained Zarzyni easy enough to back at 9/2 with the sponsor still retaining favouritism for this €100,000 sprint. Cheerupsleepyjean looks set to go off at odds-on (generally 8/11) against just three rivals in the Group 2 Airlie Stud Stakes (2.00), while the other Group 2 on the card — the Comer Group International Curragh Cup (at 4.10pm) — is an altogether more competitive affair with Passion and Pondus to the head of the market at around 7/4 and 2/1 respectively. The Sherry Fitzgerald Country Homes Handicap (2.30) is another highly competitive sprint handicap with Bellagio Man the general 4/1 market leader, while Blairmayne, Midnight Fire and Fastnet Crown have all attracted support. The concluding Finlay Volvo Irish EBF Median Action Maiden is proving a lively enough market with support for favourite Notre Belle Bete (3/1 into 9/4) and perhaps the best backed horse of the day in the shape of Diamil. Representing the same connections of the Aga Khan, Michael Halford and Ronan Whelan who struck with Sindhia at the Curragh yesterday, the son of Awtaad is obviously expected to progress from a promising reappearance at Listowel earlier this month and has been slashed from 12/1 into 3/1 with BetVictor. Watering took place overnight at the Curragh but following a warm and breezy morning the going is now good to firm, good in places, with the first on an eight-race card commencing at 1.30pm.
