Irish 2000 Guineas

Saturday, Curragh, post time: 15:40, TATTERSALLS IRISH 2,000 GUINEAS-G1, €290,000, 3yo, c/f, 8fT Field: Alparslan (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}), Bamako Beach (Ire) (Sands Of Mali {Fr}), Distant Storm (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Go Just Do It (GB) (Kingman {GB}), Gstaad (GB) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), Neolithic (Ire) (Sioux Nation), Pacific Avenue (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Power Blue (Ire) (Space Blues {Ire}), Take Charge Star (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), Thesecretadversary (Ire) (St Mark's Basilica {Fr}). TDN Analysis: Take out Bow Echo and we'd be talking about one of the most impressive 2,000 Guineas winners...

It seems hard to believe now that the form of the Ballydoyle stable was being questioned prior to the 2,000 Guineas, before Gstaad (Starspangledbanner) acted as the pivot to a major upturn and sequence of wins in key races in early May. That he slammed Godolphin's genuine Group 1 performer Distant Storm (Night Of Thunder) and the rest by upwards of eight lengths in that Newmarket Classic and still managed to be convincingly beaten is the remarkable story of this year's renewal and he gets the chance to excel in...

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...

Three new race days will be part of World Pool this weekend, with the Curragh's Irish 2,000 Guineas Day card joining the line-up for the first time. Doomben Cup Day is also featured on Saturday, while on Sunday the final Group 1 of the Hong Kong season, the Champions and Chater Cup, will be globally commingled. World Pool ambassador Ryan Moore said, "It's great that Irish 2,000 Guineas Day is a World Pool event for the first time. "Though this year's Irish 2,000 Guineas isn't a huge field, it's a...

It was announced on Monday that Tattersalls will continue as the title sponsors of the prestigious Irish Guineas Festival at the Curragh from 2026 until 2028. The partnership ensures that the Irish 2,000 Guineas, Irish 1,000 Guineas and Tattersalls Gold Cup will offer total prize-money of at least €500,000 each. "Tattersalls have been longstanding supporters of Irish racing and the Curragh Racecourse, having sponsored the Tattersalls Gold Cup since 1985 and the Irish 2,000 Guineas and Irish 1,000 Guineas since 2013 and 2015 respectively," said Tattersalls chairman Edmond Mahony. "The...

Colin Keane says that he is delighted to have been chosen to partner Field Of Gold in Saturday's Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh. John and Thady Gosden have gone with the Irish champion jockey rather than Kieran Shoemark, who partnered the Juddmonte-owned colt to finish second in the 2,000 Guineas.  Keane has already tasted Classic glory in the famous Juddmonte silks, having won the Irish 2,000 Guineas on Siskin for Lyons in 2020 and when he was booked by Ralph Beckett for Westover in the Irish Derby in...

The TDN sat down with Irish pinhooker Norman Williamson for this last installment in the series presented in cooperation with the Consignors and Breeders Association (CBA). Through conversations with buyers and sellers, the series looks to contribute to the discussion on radiograph findings and their impact on racetrack success. The Oak Tree Farm of retired National Hunt jockey Norman Williamson and his wife Janet is responsible for Classic-winning graduates on both sides of the Atlantic. The operation sold future 2019 GI Preakness S. winner War of Will (War Front) and...

New Energy (Ire) (New Bay {GB}), the 40-1 runner-up behind Native Trail (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}) in the 2022 G1 Irish 2000 Guineas, will be gelded and will ultimately continue his career under the care of Ciaron Maher and David Eustace in Australia after being acquired by Jamie Lovett's Australian Bloodstock following a lengthy courtship. Trained in England by Sheila Lavery for her brother John, the £65,000 Tattersalls Goresbridge breezer won his maiden at first asking in June 2021, his lone victory to date, but he has run with credit...

Al Riffa (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), winner of last year's G1 National S. and ante-post favourite for Saturday's G1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas, has been ruled out of the race with "a little setback," the Irish Field reported. While announcing that the Jassim Bin Al-Attiyah-owned colt would not make the Curragh this weekend, trainer Joseph O'Brien remains confident that the colt will make the G1 St James's Palace S. on opening day of the Royal Ascot meeting June 20. He is a 6-1 chance for that mile test ante-post with...

The European champion 2-year-old of 2021, Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), is clearly the class act of the field as he bids to go one better than his runner-up finish in the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas. Should he do so, he would give his trainer an unprecedented third European Guineas victory with three different horses in the same season. Also represented is last year's winning owner/breeder/trainer combination of Jim and Jackie Bolger, while, at 420,000gns, Amo Racing's Malex (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) was the most expensive of the field to...

Two legends of Irish racing will join forces for the first time this season after Jim Bolger revealed that he has a 2-year-old filly by Holy Roman Emperor (Ire) in training with Kevin Prendergast. Bolger gave €31,000 for the recently named Roman Moon (Ire) after Prendergast recommended the filly at the Goffs Orby Sale last September and she is set to break new ground by becoming his first runner with the Friarstown operator. Roman Moon will carry the white and purple colours of Bolger's wife Jackie, once carried to major...

Last year's G1 Irish 2000 Guineas winner Mac Swiney (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) has been turned out since running in the G1 Hong Kong Cup in December and will return to training next week, trainer, owner and breeder Jim Bolger told the TDN. The 4-year-old, who also won the G1 Vertem Futurity Trophy and G2 Futurity S. at two, trailed in last of 12 at Sha Tin. "He didn't run well in Hong Kong and we don't know the reason for it," Bolger said. Mac Swiney's four career wins have...