Europe

Jetset Upset
Jetset Upset

The Curragh became a theatre of dreams for the little guys of racing on Sunday as Jet Setting (Ire) (Fast Company {Ire}) managed to do the unthinkable and outrun Minding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and win the G1 Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas for the Adrian Keatley stable. Only ninth behind Ballydoyle's best at Newmarket three weeks ago, the bay who had previously taken the Apr. 10 G3 Leopardstown 1000 Guineas Trial S. over seven furlongs on heavy ground was always in the vanguard and after being committed in early straight by...

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Observations on the European Racing Scene for May 22
Observations on the European Racing Scene for May 22

1.20 Curragh, Mdn, €17,500, 2yo, c/g, 6fT CHURCHILL (IRE) (Galileo {Ire}) has to be a significant runner for Aidan O'Brien, who introduced Air Force Blue (War Front) in this 12 months ago. Despite the presence of the stable's Tipperary third Istan (GB) (Excelebration {Ire}), Ryan Moore has opted to ride this unraced grandson of the G1 Cheveley Park S. heroine Airwave (GB) (Air Express {Ire}). Of the two other Ballydoyle representatives, the debutant War Secretary (War Front) is significant as a son of the MGSW & GISP Upperline (Maria's Mon)...

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Awtaad Takes The Irish 2000 Guineas

AW-STRUCK Staying at home while the Newmarket Guineas was played out, Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum's Awtaad (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) stepped forward to claim leading mile honours with a clear-cut success in the G1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas at The Curragh on Saturday. Delivered here with prescience by his veteran trainer Kevin Prendergast after his success in the seven-furlong Listed Tetrarch S. at this venue May 2, the dark bay waited behind the leading quartet early and travelled ominously to the lead at the two-furlong marker with jockey...

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Bottis Dominate Derby Lineup

Stefano Botti, who now trains in partnership with his father, Alduino, has won four of the last five runnings of the G2 Derby Italiano, and will today saddle at Capannelle two-thirds of the nine runners, the smallest field since 1967 in the Italian Classic. Mr. Robert Ng has recently purchased the unbeaten Dee Dee D'Or (Ire) (Zebedee {GB}), the impressive winner of the Listed Premio Emanuele Filiberto. Biz Heart (Ire) (Roderic O'Connor {Ire}), the winner of G2 Gran Criterium at two, lost in his seasonal debut, giving 3 1/2 kilos....

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Rock-Steady Crew
Rock-Steady Crew

Just two shy of Dr. Vincent O'Brien's record of 15 winners of The Curragh's G3 Airlie Stud Gallinule S., Aidan O'Brien holds a strong hand again on Sunday with four of the seven in the line-up, headed by last year's G2 Beresford S.-third Beacon Rock (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier and Michael Tabor's bay was fourth in Leopardstown's G2 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial S. over this trip last time May 8, and is the choice of Ryan Moore over his three stablemates, including the May 6 Listed Dee...

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Finding Out

After beating a possibly rusty G1 Qipco Champion S. winner Fascinating Rock (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) in the G3 Mooresbridge S. at The Curragh May 2, Found (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) bids to underline her superiority on a more level playing field in the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup at The Curragh on Sunday. Arguably unlucky not to finish closer than 1 1/4-lengths second to Newtown Anner Stud Farm's homebred in Ascot's feature in October, Found entered their rematch with a sharpening run under her belt, having shaken off the dust with...

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Scat Daddy Colt Wins the Marble Hill

Impressive when beating the subsequent winner Lundy (GB) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) as the 1-3 favourite on debut over this trip at Dundalk Apr. 18, Caravaggio overcame testing ground to justify more heavy support in this often-informative staging post. Tracking the positively-ridden leader Mister Trader under Ryan Moore, the grey was pulled out to overhaul that rival under hand riding with 100 yards remaining and assert for a convincing success as a smart field finished strung out. "We were wanting to run him for experience with Royal Ascot in mind and...

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European-Bred Success With Phil Gleaves

Hometown? Liverpool, England How did you end up where you are now? I was looking for better opportunities for myself in horse racing. I was 19, and I came over to be an exercise rider. I had ridden some races in England, but soon outgrew that. My initial job as an exercise rider was for Lucien Laurin for several months, and then I switched over to Woody Stephens. What have you found to be the major difference between racing/breeding in Australia and your home country? The major difference between racing...

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Temple Victory For Invincible Spirit's Profitable

Building on his return success in Newmarket's G3 Palace House S. over this trip Apr. 30, Profitable battled to upstage last year's G1 Nunthorpe S. heroine Mecca's Angel in a stirring finish at a rain-affected Haydock. First rising to prominence when beating Tendu (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and the subsequent G1 Haydock Sprint Cup runner-up Strath Burn (GB) (Equiano {Fr}) in the Listed Westow S. also at this distance at York in May, the bay was runner-up to Waady in the Listed Scurry S. staying at five at Sandown in...

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Minding The Dream

There are many who believe that Minding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) could give a motley crew of colts a lesson in the upcoming G1 Investec Derby, but that eventuality will probably come later in the season as Aidan O'Brien keeps her for beating up her own sex for now. Sunday's G1 Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas at The Curragh is hers for the taking if she is in anywhere near the form she was in during the G1 Qipco 1000 Guineas at Newmarket three weeks ago, with only that Classic's sixth and...

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Sibling of Hit It A Bomb Graduates at The Curragh

1st-CUR, €16,500, Mdn, 5-21, 2yo, f, 6fT, 1:18.91, g/s. BRAVE ANNA (f, 2, War Front--Liscanna {Ire} {GSW-Ire, $118,164}, by Sadler's Wells), a debut eighth to 'TDN Rising Star' Roly Poly (War Front) at Naas last time Apr. 25, found a pitch along the fence after the initial strides and raced third in the wake of stablemate How (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Pushed along approaching the final quarter mile, the 9-2 chance was angled off the rail for a clear run passing the eighth pole and ridden out in the closing stages...

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Shamardal Colt Tops Strong Breeze-Up

Trade at the Goresbridge Breeze-Up sale on Friday took a little while to warm up, but when it did spring into action business remained solid throughout the day. The 183 juveniles to sell grossed €5,289,500, compared to 175 sold for €4,608,500 last year. The average was up 9.7% to €28,904, while the median dipped 5.9% to €16,000. The clearance rate was 78%, compared to 86% last year. The sale broke a previous records when lot 65 exited the ring having sold to Eamonn Reilly of BBA Ireland for €270,000, eclipsing...

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