Curragh

The title of champion apprentice is still up for grabs ahead of the final day of the Irish Flat season at the Curragh on Sunday, with Wayne Hassett and James Ryan currently sharing the lead on 31 winners apiece, just two ahead of last year's championship runner-up, Adam Caffrey, in third. All three jockeys will be heading to Dundalk on Wednesday where Ryan and Caffrey have a full book of rides, while Hassett will be in action in six of the seven races on the card. After that Dundalk hosts...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-bred horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Tuesday's Observations features the first foal out of a Breeders' Cup winner. 13.30 Curragh, Group 3, €55,000, 2yo, f, 8fT GISELLE (IRE) (Frankel {GB}) returns to the scene of her maiden win earlier in the month, having finished second to stablemate Bedtime Story (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) at Leopardstown in...

Blood, sweat and tears. That is what it took Michael Halford to turn Copper Beech Stables from a green field site into one of the most renowned racing yards in Ireland. One from which Group 1 and Royal Ascot winners were sent out and where the trainer managed the careers of over 100 steeds in his pomp.  Halford has trained more than 1,000 winners in his 41-year career, almost 500 of which were managed from Copper Beech during 16 full seasons there, but dwindling numbers during Covid and the separation...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-bred horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Saturday's Observations features a son of Dubawi (Ire). 13.45 Curragh, Mdn, €20,000, 2yo, c/g, 8fT ACAPULCO BAY (IRE) (Dubawi {Ire}) caught the eye when second behind fellow Ballydoyle trainee and TDN Rising Star Delacroix (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) over seven furlongs here three weeks ago and is bred to appreciate...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-bred horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Saturday's Observations features the son of dual Group 1 heroine Hydrangea. 13.45 Curragh, Mdn, €20,000, 2yo, 7fT OFFICER (IRE) (Dubawi {Ire}) is the latest blueblooded colt from Ballydoyle to appear during a golden summer for Coolmore, being the third foal out of their G1 British Champions Fillies & Mares...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-bred horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Saturday's Observations features a son of Tepin (Bernstein). 13.45 Curragh, Mdn, €20,000, 2yo, 7fT DELACROIX (IRE) (Dubawi {Ire}) is the first big Ballydoyle runner on a big day for the stable and looks certain to start at prohibitive odds given the promise he showed when second on his Leopardstown...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Saturday's Observations features the return of Ides Of March. 13.30 Curragh, Mdn, €20,000, 2yo, c/g, 7fT Aidan O'Brien trainee IDES OF MARCH (IRE) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) is the third foal produced by GI Frizette Stakes heroine Nickname  (Scat Daddy) and comes back off a debut fourth at this venue...

Ribblesdale Stakes runner-up Lava Stream (Ire) (Too Darn Hot {GB}) has been supplemented for the G1 Juddmonte Irish Oaks at the Curragh on Saturday, along with course winner Hanalia (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}). Trained by David O'Meara, Lava Stream was rated just 74 at the start of the season, but she has since been successful in a handicap at Doncaster and a Listed contest at Goodwood before faring best of the rest behind Port Fairy (Ire) (Australia {GB})--the ante-post favourite for Saturday's Classic--at Royal Ascot. Beaten just a neck...

Prominent breeze-up consignor and pre-trainer Ian McCarthy says that having a genuine Derby horse through his hands will be very hard to top and explained how he will be rooting for graduate Ambiente Friendly (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) in Sunday's Irish Derby at the Curragh. McCarthy sold Ambiente Friendly on behalf of the colt's breeders Al Shira'aa Farms for 80,000gns to bloodstock agent Freddy Tylicki at last year's Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up Sale.  Tylicki's opinion on the horse has since been vindicated 10 times over with Ambiente Friendly carrying the colours of...

There's no City Of Troy but Aidan O'Brien still saddles half of the eight-strong field as he seeks a remarkable sixteenth victory in the premier Irish Classic. Los Angeles looks the pick of the Ballydoyle contingent, having finished third behind his feted stable-mate in the Derby, but the son of Camelot has work to do to reverse the Epsom form with runner-up Ambiente Friendly. James Fanshawe's British raider is set to be a warm order to continue a red-hot run of form for Coolmore's own Gleneagles, the sire of another...

There are few people in this industry that you'll never hear a bad word spoken about. Ross O'Sullivan is one of those people. That is just about the greatest compliment that you can give a man who competes as fiercely, and successfully, as the trainer does. But something tells you that O'Sullivan would trade winning popularity contests for taking out big race prizes all day long and Royal Ascot would be a good place to start. The trainer has Warrior Brave (GB) (Twilight Son {GB}) and Follow Me (Fr) (Shalaa...

This year's G1 1,000 Guineas took place without Ballydoyle's Opera Singer (Justify), so there is a sense of unfinished business when it comes to the pecking order of the 3-year-old fillies at present. Sunday's Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas at The Curragh should answer some questions, none more so than that concerning how straight she is for a tough reintroduction having suffered that setback. So good in the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac, some will tell you that she may not have to be at 100% to win this but when it...