National Stakes Entry New Zealand Digs Deep for Curragh Maiden Verdict
Updated: July 19, 2025 at 6:15 pm
By Sean Cronin
Aidan O'Brien had annexed six of the last 10 renewals of the Curragh's Juddmonte Chaldean Irish EBF Maiden, including with The Lion In Winter last year, and added another to his resume when the once-raced New Zealand (Frankel) led home a stable trifecta in this year's edition.
“He's a lovely big horse, but he hasn't a clue what he's doing yet,” said O'Brien. “He's massive, with the power and the size of him, and we'll go gentle and let him come on. He learned a lot from the first day, we liked him before that, but he was a little bit slow away and was very green. He's a big horse and he's all power. I know he's not short of speed but he looks like a big middle-distance horse. He's a brave devil too.”
The 10-11 pick, a G2 Futurity Stakes and G1 Vincent O'Brien National Stakes entry, had previously finished seventh behind the TDN Rising Star display of the yard's Dorset (Wootton Bassett) over the same seven-furlong strip last month and was rousted from the gates to gain an early advantage in this return.
Holding sway throughout, he came under pressure at the intersection with the round course and kept on in relentless fashion under a Ryan Moore drive inside the final quarter-mile to hold stablemates Isaac Newton (Camelot) and Action (Frankel) by a nose and a half-length.
A @Ballydoyle 1-2-3 in the @JuddmonteFarms Chaldean @IrishEBF_ Maiden
Action and Isaac Newton caught the eye, but held sway under Ryan Moore.
The Lion In Winter, Henry Longfellow, Mac Swiney, New Approach and Teofilo have all won this race pic.twitter.com/P3aW8OFB1z
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 19, 2025
New Zealand is the third foal and scorer thrown by G3 Albany Stakes victrix and G1 Prix Morny and G1 Cheveley Park Stakes placegetter Different League (Dabirsim), herself a half-sister to the dam of stakes-winning G2 Criterium de Maisons Laffitte third Une Pointure (Dabirsim). The February-foaled bay is full to a yearling colt and a weanling filly. He is also kin to G3 Chester Vase runner-up Agenda (Galileo).