18th-Jul-2020

Romantic Proposal (ran a big race) in the seven-furlong premier handicap at The Curragh on Irish Derby weekend.  She raced on the far side, just behind the pace.  She travelled really well into her race, she made ground easily on the far rail and travelled well in a share of the lead with the winner Big Baby Blue at the two-furlong marker, but she tired from there as lack of a recent run probably took its toll.

She should come on for that run, and her trainer Eddie Lynam’s horses are just starting to get going now.  Tide Of Time won at Navan last Thursday and Florence Thompson ran well in defeat at Dundalk on Sunday.

Romantic Proposal progressed nicely towards the end of last season.  She won her last two races, both at Cork, her maiden and a handicap off a mark of 71, both over seven furlongs.

The handicapper raised her by 12lb for her latest win, but she won with plenty in hand, and she proved that she was up to her new mark of 83 with that run on Irish Derby weekend.  The handicapper left her on that mark of 83, and that is a mark that could under-rate her ability.  Six and a half furlongs is a good trip for her, and she won’t mind it if they get more rain.  She has raced just seven times in her life, and she has the potential to progress now.

(Her low draw) is not ideal on the sprint track on the face of it, but the stalls are in the middle these days, not on the stands rail, and this is six and a half furlongs, they start off on the way to the seven-furlong start, around the kink a little.

Also, in this race last year, they split into two groups, and four of the first five home raced in the far-side group, the low numbers.  There is plenty of pace drawn low, Gunmetal and Bungee Jump, so it may be that the low numbers will have the upper hand from early.

ROMANTIC PROPOSAL WON (ADV 7/1, SP 11/2)