Jessica Harrington

Zhang Yuesheng's Lucky Vega (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) exited his emphatic victory in Sunday's G1 Keeneland Phoenix S. in good order, and trainer Jessica Harrington said she is deciding between two potential next targets. "I'm very happy with how he's come out of the race--he couldn't be better," Harrington said of the colt, who was cut to 16-1 for next year's G1 2000 Guineas following his 3 1/2-length win. "There's the [G1] Middle Park at Newmarket [on Sept. 26] and the National S. at The Curragh [on Sept. 13]--we...

The Jockey Club's 68th annual Round Table Conference on Matters Pertaining to Racing will be held virtually Sunday due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The conference will discuss the need for reform in medication rules and testing, challenges faced by the Thoroughbred industry and insights into the claiming system and will be streamed on The Jockey Club's website jockeyclub.com beginning at 10 a.m. The event will also be aired on TVG and Racetrack Television Network platforms. "While we are disappointed that we cannot host an in-person event, we are excited by...

Denied in the G2 Railway S. at The Curragh July 18, Lucky Vega (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) returned to the same course and six-furlong strip on Sunday to dominate a competitive renewal of the G1 Keeneland Phoenix S. Despite the presence of four group-winning colts Steel Bull (Ire) (Clodovil {Ire}), The Lir Jet (Ire) (Prince of Lir {Ire}), Ventura Tormenta (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) and Laws of Indices (Ire) (Power {GB}), the market spoke mainly for Lucky Vega who was supported into 4-1 second favouritism and also Ballydoyle's maiden St...

G1 Coronation S. winner Alpine Star (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ger}), last seen finishing a short-neck second to Fancy Blue (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the G1 Prix de Diane on July 5, could resurface in the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville on Aug. 16 if ground conditions play to her liking. "If all goes according to plan she could go to Deauville, but we just need to keep an eye on the ground," said Alan Cooper, racing manager to owner/breeder The Niarchos Family. "There's very hot weather...

Jessie Harrington is keen to put some of her most promising juveniles to the test in an intriguing card at Leopardstown on Thursday which features the G3 Japan Racing Association Tyros S. and G3 Frank Conroy Silver Flash S. In the former, which has played host to the likes of Teofilo (Ire), New Approach (Ire), Rip Van Winkle (Ire) and Churchill (Ire) in recent times, she saddles Alpha Racing 2020's impressive July 1 nine-length course-and-distance maiden winner Cadillac (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), while Robert Scarborough and Susan Magnier's Oodnadatta...

Carrying a five-pound penalty for her G1 Cheveley Park S. win in 2019, Stonethorn Stud Farms Limited's Millisle (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) made light of that burden to return to the winner's enclosure in style in Wednesday's G3 Yeomanstown Stud Ballyogan S. at Naas. On the front foot from the outset under Shane Foley, the 9-4 second favourite who was no match for Art Power (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in the course-and-distance G3 Lacken S. last time took control passing halfway and drew away to score by four lengths from Pronouncement...

Jessica Harrington has "various options" as the next target for Group 1-winning filly Albigna (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}). The 3-year-old holds entries for both the G3 Green Room Meld S. at Leopardstown on Saturday and the G1 Juddmonte Irish Oaks at The Curragh a week later, and could take up either engagement. After winning her first two juvenile starts, including a Group 2 success in the Airlie Stud S., the filly finished sixth behind subsequent dual Classic winner Love (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Moyglare Stud S. before claiming a...

Emulating the emphatic G1 Coronation S. victory of her half-sister Alpha Centauri (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) two years ago, the Niarchos Family's Alpine Star (Ire) (Sea the Moon {Ger}) was also in a class of her own as Royal Ascot once again bowed to its greatest showman Frankie Dettori. Racing behind the strong tempo of the leading duo early, the 9-2 shot who was last seen winning the G2 Debutante S. at The Curragh in August forged up the rail in early straight and had command before the furlong pole. Powering...

Jessie Harrington has begun the season with a flourish and all the stars could be aligned for Albigna (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) to provide a first Classic success in Saturday's G1 Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas at The Curragh. The Niarchos family's homebred has stronger claims at this stage of her career than the 2018 heroine Alpha Centauri (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), having won the six-furlong G2 Airlie Stud S. here in June and G1 Prix Marcel Boussac at ParisLongchamp in October before finishing fourth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf....

The field for Saturday evening's G1 Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas has been set and 15 fillies are due postward for the €250,000 Classic. The Niarchos family's homebred G1 Prix Marcel Boussac victress and ante-post favourite Albigna (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) will depart from gate 13 while her Jessica Harrington stablemate and G3 Oh So Sharp S. runner-up Valeria Messalina (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) has drawn stall four. Aidan O'Brien saddles just two for this year's renewal with G1 Moyglare Stud S. third So Wonderful (War Front) due to exit the...

The G1 Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas, slated for June 13, has drawn 20 fillies at this entry stage, The Curragh announced on Tuesday. Aidan O'Brien, who won the race in 2019, saddles Monday's winner Elfin Queen (American Pharoah), the SP 'TDN Rising Star' Peaceful (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Salsa (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), and G1 Moyglare Stud S. third So Wonderful (War Front). His sons have five entries between them-Joseph O'Brien sends out MGSP A New Dawn (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), Brook on Fifth (Ire) (Champs Elysees {GB}), Gin Blossom (Ire) (Make Believe...

Trainer Jessica Harrington has booked Oisin Murphy to ride Millisle (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) in next weekend's G1 1000 Guineas, Racing Post reports. Shane Foley has been aboard Millisle in four of her five starts, including a last-out victory in the G1 Cheveley Park S. on Sept. 28, but COVID-19 restrictions mean that the Irish-based Foley would have had to quarantine for 14 days upon his return home were he to make the journey to Newmarket. "Shane [Foley] can't ride Millisle so I've gone and booked Oisin Murphy good and early...