By Tom Frary
Up to a mile for the first time in Monday's G3 Coolmore Auguste Rodin Irish EBF Athasi Stakes at The Curragh, Annemarie O'Brien's Kensington Lane (Starspangledbanner) toughed it out to provide Donnacha with a live Irish 1,000 Guineas contender.
Seventh behind True Love in Leopardstown's Priory Belle last month, the homebred granddaughter of Ramruma (Diesis) raced near the pace before being committed by Chris Hayes approaching two out. Hassled all the way to the line, the 14-1 shot got there 3/4 of a length in front of last year's Weld Park winner Black Caviar Gold (Havana Grey), with Ballydoyle's blueblooded 10-11 favourite Drop Dead Gorgeous (Dubawi) another half-length away in third.
“She ran well last time and I thought she was over-priced today up to a mile on nice ground,” Donnacha O'Brien said. “She's in the Irish Guineas, so she'll probably go there and she has a lot of gate speed and is naturally quick out of the stalls, so she could be a filly for one of those mile-and-a-quarter Grade Ones in the States later in the year.”
Group Three honours for Kensington Lane in the Athasi Stakes @curraghrace for Donnacha O'Brien and @chrishayes24 🥇@coolmorestud | @IrishEBF_ pic.twitter.com/gazKNvzcqL
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) May 4, 2026
Pedigree Notes
The unraced dam Almost Always (Galileo), whose two-year-old filly is by Wootton Bassett and who also has a yearling colt by No Nay Never, is out of the aforementioned luminary Ramruma who completed the treble of Oaks, Irish Oaks and Yorkshire Oaks and was a gallant second in the St Leger. Responsible for one black-type performer in the Irish St Leger third Flying Cross (Sadler's Wells), she was connected to the Australian Group 1 winners Montefilia (Kermadec) and All The Good also by Diesis.
Monday, Curragh, Ireland
COOLMORE AUGUSTE RODIN IRISH EBF ATHASI STAKES-G3, €70,000, Curragh, 5-4, 3yo, f, 8fT, 1:38.24, gd.
1–KENSINGTON LANE (IRE), 128, f, 3, by Starspangledbanner (Aus)
1st Dam: Almost Always (Ire), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Ramruma, by Diesis (GB)
3rd Dam: Princess Of Man (Ire), by Green God (Ire)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. O-Mrs A M O'Brien; B-Almost Always Partnership; T-Donnacha O'Brien; J-Chris Hayes. €42,000. Lifetime Record: 8-2-2-0, $70,583. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Black Caviar Gold (Ire), 128, f, 3, Havana Grey (GB)–Perfect Outing (GB), by Outstrip (GB). (140,000gns Wlg '23 TADEWE; 270,000gns Ylg '24 TATOCT). O-Bond Thoroughbred Ltd; B-Gerard Corry & Ringfort Stud; T-Paddy Twomey. €14,000.
3–Drop Dead Gorgeous (Ire), 128, f, 3, Dubawi (Ire)–You'resothrilling, by Storm Cat. TDN Rising Star. 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Mrs John Magnier; B-Coolmore; T-Aidan O'Brien. €7,000.
Margins: 3/4, HF, 1HF. Odds: 14.00, 8.00, 0.91.
Also Ran: Sinmara (GB), Sky Watch (Ire), Mayflower (Ire), Killashee Warrior (GB), Caught U Sleeping (Ire), Alphecca (Ire), Wild Bessie (Ire), Pollenca (Ire), White Sand Beach.
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