G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup

Ed Walker has long sung the praises of Almaqam (Lope De Vega) and although the elusive Group 1 win took its time coming, it all fell into place for the stable star on Sunday as he bossed The Curragh's G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup. Making his seasonal return in the 10 1/2-furlong prize, Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum's homebred who had last been seen finishing third in the Champion Stakes in October was moved up to shadow the Ballydoyle pacemaker with Kieran Shoemark confident in his readiness. Taking command approaching the two-furlong...

Sunday, Curragh, post time: 15:55, TATTERSALLS GOLD CUP-G1, €300,000, 4yo/up, 10 1/2fT Field: Almaqam (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Bay City Roller (Ire) (New Bay {GB}), Edward Hamilton (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), Green Impact (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Royal Rhyme (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Saddadd (Ire) (Pinatubo {Ire}), Tiberius Thunder (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Minnie Hauk (Ire) (Frankel {GB}). TDN Analysis: There should be no stopping Minnie Hauk after her smooth re-entry in the Mooresbridge, given what we now know about her achievement in making Daryz pull out all...

Ryan Moore has sided with True Love (No Nay Never) of the high-profile Ballydoyle pair at the head of the market for Sunday's G1 Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas at The Curragh. After a dozen were declared, Newmarket's 1,000 Guineas heroine who is drawn in one was the selection of Coolmore's number one rider with Wayne Lordan on the Fillies' Mile and Moyglare Stud Stakes winner Precise (Starspangledbanner). Seventh three weeks ago, she will exit from stall seven. Godolphin's Abashiri (Frankel), who was fifth at Newmarket, was confirmed by Charlie Appleby...

Aidan O'Brien's pair of Gstaad (Starspangledbanner) and True Love (No Nay Never) headline the confirmations for the first Irish Classics of the season at the Curragh this weekend. Gstaad filled the runner-up spot behind Bow Echo (Night Of Thunder) in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket earlier this month and, with George Boughey keeping his charge fresh for Royal Ascot, the Starspangledbanner colt is the odds-on favourite to gain compensation in Saturday's Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas. A maximum field of 13 will go to post, with Karl Burke's G3 Greenham Stakes...

Drawing on all his inherent toughness on Sunday, Ballydoyle's emerging middle-distance heavyweight Los Angeles defied Anmaat in a duel to the line in The Curragh's G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup. Merely hinting at what was to come with his comeback G2 Mooresbridge Stakes win, last year's G1 Irish Derby hero sat three lengths off the demanding pace before taking over two out. Responding to Ryan Moore's call to ward off the Shadwell runner, having been headed inside the final furlong, the 9-4 favourite carved out a half-length advantage at the line...

Sunday, Curragh, post time: 15:40, TATTERSALLS IRISH 1,000 GUINEAS-G1, €290,000, 3yo, f, 8fT Field: Atsila (Ire) (Phoenix Of Spain {Ire}), California Dreamer (GB) (Mehmas {Ire}), Cercene (Ire) (Australia {GB}), City Of Memphis (Ire) (Sioux Nation), Duty First (GB) (Showcasing {GB}), Flight (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}), Jaliyah (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), January (Ire) (Kingman {GB}), Lake Victoria (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), Simmering (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}), Swelter (GB) (Kingman {GB}), Tamam Desert (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ger}). TDN Verdict: If it rains a lot, last year's champion Lake Victoria could be vulnerable with...

Saturday, Curragh, post time: 15:40, TATTERSALLS IRISH 2,000 GUINEAS STAKES-G1, €290,000, 3yo, c/f, 8fT Field: Comanche Brave (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Cosmic Year (GB) (Kingman {GB}), Expanded (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Field Of Gold (Ire) (Kingman {GB}), Hotazhell (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}), Officer (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Rashabar (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), Scorthy Champ (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), Windlord (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). TDN Verdict: Newmarket's 2,000 Guineas runner-up Field Of Gold is the obvious pick on that form, which is generally key to this contest. He had glided in and...

There are few around that would accept that Field Of Gold was second-best three weeks ago despite the formbook stating so and on The Curragh's conventional track on Saturday Juddmonte's elite performer has the chance to put matters right in the G1 Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas. While Godolphin's admirable Ruling Court is not here, there could be a case to be made that the real star of the Newmarket Classic is. The Gosdens found his defeat there hard to take, which is backed up by the sectionals, and like his...

Group 1 winner White Birch (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}) will defend his G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup crown on May 25, according to assistant trainer George Murphy, who assists his father, John. The grey is first likely to resume in the G2 Mooresbridge Stakes in early May. The Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez runner won all three of his starts in 2024--April's G3 Alleged Stakes, the G2 Mooresbridge Stakes at the Curragh a month later, and the May 26 Gold Cup, claiming the scalp of Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the latter. He...

In rude health for Sunday's G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup at The Curragh, Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez's White Birch (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}--Diagnostic {GB}, by Dutch Art {GB}) readily put old rival Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the shade for a career-best success. Behind that Ballydoyle supremo in the Derby, the John Murphy-trained grey had returned this term to garner the track's G3 Alleged S. and G2 Mooresbridge S. and the backers were suitably respectful as his odds hardened to 15-8 before the off. Cruising under a confident Colin Keane with Auguste...

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...

Sunday's G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup lived up to the billing and then some, with Ballydoyle's Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) making all and outbattling Bay Bridge (GB) (New Bay {GB}) in a stirring finish to The Curragh's joint-feature of the day. Having put in one of those on-the-face-of-it underwhelming comeback performances that the stable's kingpins can when fifth in the G2 Mooresbridge S. here at the start of the month, last year's G1 Irish Champion S. hero took the requisite leap forward with Ryan Moore intent on taking no prisoners. Relishing...