G1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National Stakes

In a fairytale ending to one of the key stallion-making races of the season, the judge's photo showed the 35,000gns Without Parole colt Zavateri in front of the 450,000gns buy Gstaad (Starspangledbanner) at the culmination of Sunday's G1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National Stakes at The Curragh. Having been 18-1 when swooping in Newmarket's G2 July Stakes and 8-1 when following up in Goodwood's G2 Vintage Stakes, Mick and Janice Mariscotti's Tattersalls October Book 2 bargain was 15-2 this time as Charles Bishop waited patiently for his effort in rear. Showing...

The Curragh's Group 1 bonanza on day two of Irish Champions Weekend has attracted an aggregate 38 declarations after final fields for the track's four elite-level contests were confirmed Friday morning. Illinois (Galileo), with Christophe Soumillon booked to ride, is one of two Aidan O'Brien entries, the other being Queenstown (Galileo), and heads a field of nine in the G1 Comer Group International Irish St Leger. The undefeated G2 King Edward VII Stakes victor Amiloc (Postponed) is one of three overseas nominees. Ballydoyle has three of the six runners, headed...

Sunday's G1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National Stakes at The Curragh had a more open look to it than the betting suggested beforehand and that proved the case as the Joseph O'Brien-trained outsider Scorthy Champ (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}--Fidaaha {Ire}, by New Approach {Ire}) stepped up to earn the bragging rights. Third behind this race's favourite Henri Matisse (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) on his second start over this course and seven-furlong trip in the G2 Futurity Stakes last month, the 12-1 shot who had won on debut at Leopardstown in May raced...

Sunday's field have now been set, with the group 1 races at The Curragh and ParisLongchamp hosting some major names including Ballydoyle's elite-level winners Kyprios (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Opera Singer (Justify). The former bids for a second G1 Irish St Leger during the second day of the Irish Champions Festival in Kildare, while the latter is one of a dozen fillies set to contest the G1 Qatar Prix Vermeille which is the feature of the French Arc Trials card. Kyprios will face seven in the 14-furlong contest, including Scuderia...