Ballydoyle

One of those Ballydoyle juveniles who can make giant strides from start one to two, Montreal (Sea The Stars) looked every inch a 2026 Derby prospect as he stormed to an eight-length maiden success at Leopardstown on Thursday. Always happy on the front end under Wayne Lordan, the 6-4 favourite who had been third over this mile trip and track last month set sail in the straight to put healthy daylight between him and the Jessica Harrington-trained Strikewhileitshot (Too Darn Hot). "They went steady the last day and Ryan said...

5th-Galway, €20,000, Mdn, 8-2, 2yo, 8f 73yT, 1:48.69, g/y. ACTION (IRE) (c, 2, Frankel {GB}--Gossamer Wings {MGSP-Eng, SP-Ire}, by Scat Daddy), a half-brother to Australia's Derby and Irish Derby hero Lambourn, had been third behind stablemates New Zealand and Isaac Newton at The Curragh last month and was sent off the 4-9 favourite to double up after the latter had done the business for the yard at Goodwood in the preceding minutes. Latching straight onto the front from the break, the homebred showed a more generous cruise than his half-sibling...

Making the most of the absurd situation of starting a Group One race by flag, Ryan Moore seized an instant advantage on Whirl (Wootton Bassett) in Thursday's Qatar Nassau Stakes and never looked back. With Goodwood's officials unwilling to allow the fillies into the starting stalls due to the persistent threat of thunder, a ragged start saw the 6-5 favourite romp into a clear advantage with See The Fire (Sea The Stars) notably slowly into her stride. The winner's compatriot Cercene (Australia) looked the most potent threat heading to two...

In a renewal of the G1 Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup marred by a fatal injury sustained by the veteran stayer Trueshan (Planteur), Ballydoyle finished on top with the one-two led home by the three-year-old Scandinavia (Justify). While the race heralded the arrival of a new staying star, it was the loss of the 2021 winner of this prize, Trueshan, who suffered a fractured pastern six out that echoes out of this sad renewal. In terms of the end result, the illustrious homebred Scandinavia who had burst onto the scene with...

Able to control Thursday's G3 Saudi Cup Silver Flash Stakes from an early stage, Ryan Moore turned that luxury into sheer dominance as the hot favourite Composing (Wootton Bassett) duly extended the admirable record of Aidan O'Brien in this year's juvenile Pattern races. Soon in front, the Curragh maiden winner dictated on her own terms and kicked turning for home to put her stamp on Leopardstown's seven-furlong contest. Skydance (Night Of Thunder) was 3 1/4 lengths behind the 4-9 favourite in a slowly-run affair which was over two seconds slower...

Aidan O'Brien will rely on the G1 Coronation Cup hero Jan Brueghel (Galileo) in Saturday's G1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot after opting to withdraw the Derby and Irish Derby hero Lambourn (Australia) and the Pretty Polly winner Whirl (Wootton Bassett). Just five remain, with Ballydoyle's pacemaker Continuous (Heart's Cry) there to set up the rematch between his stablemate and The Aga Khan Studs Epsom runner-up Calandagan (Gleneagles), who has since captured the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud. Juddmonte's G1 British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes heroine Kalpana...

Putting an unplaced seasonal debut effort at Royal Ascot behind him on Sunday, Ballydoyle's Diego Velazquez (Frankel) proved that the seven-furlong trip of The Curragh's G2 Romanised Minstrel Stakes was well within his repertoire. Sent off the 11-8 favourite despite the Queen Anne no-show, last year's G2 Solonaway Stakes and G3 Meld Stakes winner made Ryan Moore work relatively early but gave what was required to score by a neck from the three-year-old East Hampton (Cracksman). "He had a tough comeback run and it didn't work out at Royal Ascot,...

1st-Curragh, €20,000, Mdn, 7-20, 2yo, 7fT, 1:30.21, g/y. SUGAR ISLAND (IRE) (f, 2, Dubawi {Ire}--Heaven On Earth {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}), sent off at 9-2 with Ryan Moore's original mount Signora (Frankel) withdrawn, raced close to the early leader in this maiden won in 2020 by the stable's Oaks heroine Snowfall. In front passing two out, the granddaughter of Lillie Langtry (Danehill Dancer) stayed on to prevail by half a length from Cayton Park Stud's fellow newcomer Saint Agatha (St Mark's Basilica). "Ryan said she was very green, but found...

It might not have resembled a Classic on paper, but Saturday's G1 Juddmonte Irish Oaks at least produced a stirring finish as Minnie Hauk (Frankel) overwhelmed her only serious rival Wemightakedlongway (Australia). Giving the impression as she had at Epsom that she does only just enough, the 2-11 favourite had 1 1/4 lengths to spare over the Oaks fourth, with Ballydoyle's pacemaker Island Hopping (Wootton Bassett) 2 1/2 lengths back in third. "She wasn't doing a whole lot--I just had to wake her up to get past Dylan [Browne McMonagle], a...

Coolmore's True Love (No Nay Never) shed maiden status in last month's G2 Queen Mary Stakes and overpowered three colts to become the first filly since Eva Luna in 1994 to annex Saturday's G2 GAIN Railway Stakes at the Curragh. "She's fast so we weren't sure she'd get six [furlongs], I suppose we were finding out a little bit about her really, and we couldn't be happier with her," commented O'Brien. "She was a Queen Mary winner so it was very hard for Ryan [Moore] not to ride her." Looking...

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,...

Irish Oaks Weekend kicks off at the Curragh on Saturday where Epsom heroine Minnie Hauk appears to have been handed a straightforward task in the feature contest at 3.40pm. There is an interesting undercard at Irish racing's HQ and here are five things to look out for.  Cult Hero Heads The Weights In The Scurry Big Gossey (Gutaifan) has developed something of a cult following in recent times, which was evidenced by the reception he received when out-battling Camille Pisaaro to land a 10th career success in the Gladness Stakes...