The Curragh
Not even favourite for Saturday's G1 Keeneland Phoenix S., it is no wild statement that TDN Rising Star Little Big Bear (Ire) (No Nay Never) could be the best juvenile Aidan O'Brien has had though his hands after a display of power to scintillate the Curragh faithful. Always in his comfort zone on the front under Ryan Moore as chief rival Bradsell (GB) (Tasleet {GB}) blew the start, the June 15 Listed Windsor Castle S. and July 16 G3 Anglesey S. winner was shaken up by Ryan Moore to put...
There is the usual feast of racing across Britain, Ireland and France on Saturday, but The Curragh is where it's at as the G1 Keeneland Phoenix S. provides the first coming together of the elite among Europe's precocious juveniles. It could boil down to a battle of the TDN Rising Stars Bradsell (GB) (Tasleet {GB}) and Little Big Bear (Ire) (No Nay Never), with Hollie Doyle and Ryan Moore in no mood to allow their mount's considerable reputations to slide. Bradsell is in a bit deeper than he was in...
There was a competitive line-up for The Curragh's G2 Kilboy Estate S. on Sunday and it was Ballydoyle's Lily Pond (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) who proved toughest as the 3-year-olds filled out the first three places in the nine-furlong feature. Building a smart portfolio since her winning debut at Dundalk Apr. 12, the bay was runner-up in the G3 Blue Wind S. at a mile and a quarter at Naas May 7 and third in the 12-furlong G3 Munster Oaks at Cork June 8 before finding the 14-furlong test of Leopardstown's...
He had already looked one of Ballydoyle's brightest prospects prior to Saturday's G3 Jebel Ali Racecourse And Stables Anglesey S., but TDN Rising Star Little Big Bear (Ire) (No Nay Never) now looks the real deal after running away with The Curragh's juvenile staging post. Withdrawn from the G2 July S. when the ground got too quick at Newmarket, the June 15 Listed Windsor Castle S. winner led all bar the rail-running Kodi Noir (Ire) (Kessaar {Ire}) throughout the early stages with that outsider on borrowed time. Asked to pick...
Emily Upjohn (GB) (Frankel {GB}) couldn't make the flight, so it's time to move on and focus on those left to fight out Saturday's G1 Juddmonte Irish Oaks at the Curragh, which unusually features none of the fillies who participated in the Oaks. That means that it is even more of a puzzle, with Zhang Yuesheng's June 16 G2 Ribblesdale S. winner Magical Lagoon (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) left as short-priced favourite even though she is yet to tackle Group 1 company. What her half-length defeat of Sea Silk Road (Ire)...
Although the €500,000 G1 Juddmonte Irish Oaks will not be a clash of the G1 Cazoo Oaks one-two Tuesday (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), the latter withdrawn due to transportation issues at the 11th hour on Friday morning, there is plenty of quality in the seven-horse field still signed on. Aidan O'Brien is not empty-handed with the withdrawal of Tuesday either, as he will still run three for the Coolmore partners, led by Toy (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). CAIRDE GO DEO (FR), Camelot (GB)--Elusive...
Highlighting a stellar training performance by Paddy Twomey, Team Valor's G2 Blandford S. winner La Petite Coco (Ire) (Ruler Of The World {Ire}--La Petite Virginia {Ger}, by Konigstiger {Ger}) led home My Astra (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) and stablemate Rosscarbery (Ger) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) on her seasonal debut in Sunday's G1 Alwasmiyah Pretty Polly S. at The Curragh. Let go at 9-1 with the punters' confidence shaky, the bay tracked the clear leading pair early with Billy Lee showing the same unerring sense of timing he had in...
Saturday's G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby had been teed up as a match between Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}--Mirabilis, by Lear Fan) and Tuesday (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), but in the ultimate assessment it was really a matter of no contest as Ralph Beckett's powerhouse colt overwhelmed all assembled for the Curragh Classic. Always travelling in a beautiful rhythm for Colin Keane granted a perfect lead by French Claim (Fr) (French Fifteen {Fr}), the 11-8 joint-favourite took control at the top of the straight and had already stretched into an unassailable...
It is rare that The Aga Khan's silks are at the forefront this early in the major two-year-old contests, but when they are it is always a good sign and Shartash (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}--Shamreen {Ire}, by Dubawi {Ire}) showed he had the precocity to go with his illustrious pedigree in Saturday's G2 GAIN Railway S. at The Curragh. Kept fresh by Johnny Murtagh following his Naas conditions win May 7, the son of the dual G2 Blandford S. winner was held up early as the Listed First Flier S....
Colin Keane will replace Rob Hornby aboard the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby favourite Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}) at the Curragh on Saturday. Westover endured a luckless run under Hornby to finish third behind Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) in the Cazoo Derby at Epsom and connections have explained that Keane's experience of riding at the Curragh swung the vote in his favour ahead of Saturday. The three-time Irish Champion Jockey has already tasted Classic success in the Juddmonte silks, courtesy of 2020 Irish Guineas winner Siskin, who was trained...
David Menuisier has provided an upbeat bulletin on G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby hope Lionel (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) after the colt delighted the trainer in a recent racecourse gallop at Kempton. A winner of the Listed Cocked Hat S. when last seen, Lionel is a general 10-1 chance for the Curragh Classic and is reported to be in rude health by his trainer. Menuisier said, "All is in place for Saturday-so far so good. He keeps on developing and [is] getting stronger and stronger. He did a...
Kept waiting over three weeks for the re-emergence of Age of Kings (Ire) (Kingman {GB}--Turret Rocks {Ire}, by Fastnet Rock {Aus}) following his highly promising debut at Naas, the Irish racing faithful were able to revel in a second outing full of top-class potential on Wednesday as he became the fifth TDN Rising Star among Ballydoyle's current juvenile crop. Backed into 4-7 favouritism for The Curragh's six-furlong Holden Plant Rentals Irish EBF Race, the 1.1million gns Book 1 graduate was able to cruise in front under Ryan Moore before being...