The Curragh
Eddie Lynam has done more than most to revive the Irish sprinting scene from the doldrums and he was in the limelight again at the end of Sunday's G1 Derrinstown Stud Flying Five S. at The Curragh with the mare Romantic Proposal (Ire) (Raven's Pass). Sent off at 16-1 with just a win in this track's Listed Dubai Duty Free Dash S. to recommend her in a deep renewal, Clipper Logistics' 5-year-old was held up early by Chris Hayes towards the stand's rail before being switched to track the accomplished...
It was a case up heads up, heads down at the close of the G2 Moyglare "Jewels" Blandford S. at The Curragh on Sunday with the 3-year-old La Petite Coco (Ire) (Ruler of the World {Ire}) enjoying the rub of the green to shade it from Love (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). On a weekend replete with close finishes, Team Valor's 16-5 shot needed all of the 10 furlongs to reel in Ballydoyle's G1 1000 Guineas and G1 Epsom Oaks heroine but there was just enough yardage to overhaul that 6-5 favourite...
After the flurry of top-class action on Saturday, the momentum carries over to Sunday with two different venues offering equally tantalising fare to cap the European racing program's weekend of weekends. Perhaps the great beauty of this 48-hour spell of decadence is that it not only witnesses the decorating of champions but also offers significant insight into those of the near and more distant future. The Curragh's two juvenile Group 1 contests are the last of their kind in this country and arguably the most important, while the established Arc...
Irish racecourses can host up to 50% of their outdoor capacity beginning on Sept. 6 following the Irish Government's latest COVID-19 response roadmap, Horse Racing Ireland announced on Thursday. Racecourses may also utilise 60% of their indoor capacity for hospitality purposes should attendees consume food and beverages indoors as long as they provide evidence of their Digital Covid Vaccine Cert (DCC). Attendance in both spheres will be increased to 100% as long as all covid restrictions are lifted on Oct. 22. Regarding Irish Champions Weekend on Sept. 11 and 12,...
Completing a group 3 double on The Curragh's Friday card for Juddmonte, Ger Lyons and Colin Keane, Sacred Bridge (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}) took her impressive record to four-from-four in emphatic fashion in the Heider Family Stables Round Tower S. Coming into the six-furlong test off professional if less demonstrative displays in the five-furlong Listed Tipperary S. June 30 and the valuable Ballyhane S. at this distance at Naas Aug. 2, the homebred full-sister to Viadera (GB) belied any fears that she had reached an early plateau by raising her...
Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Friday's Observations features a son of G2 Ribblesdale S. winner Even Song (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}). 1.10 Newmarket, Novice, £9,000, 2yo, f, 7fT COLOURFUL DREAM (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) is one of two Charlie Appleby-trained representatives and the unraced one tasked with dealing with the promising Kempton debut second Silk Romance...
The Curragh offer the perfect warm-up to the weekend with a Friday twilight card featuring a trio of Group 3 races including two Classic pointers for 2022. The first is the Manguard Plus Irish EBF Flame of Tara S. for 2-year-old fillies over a mile, with Flaxman Stables Ireland, Demi O'Byrne & Susan Magnier represented by Albula (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) bidding to double her tally having won over this trip on debut at Naas Aug. 2. Representing the Joseph O'Brien stable, she encounters a pair of Ballydoyle runners in Kiss...
Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Today's Observations features a blueblood from the Moyglare Stud nursery. 4.25 Curragh, Debutantes, €16,500, 2yo, 7fT ECLAT DE LUMIERE (IRE) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) is one of several notable representatives of major breeding operations in this fascinating affair, hailing from the Dermot Weld stable seemingly well-equipped with talented juveniles...
As York's Ebor festival draws to a close, with the ever-popular £500,000 handicap after which it is named the feature event on the Knavesmire, Saturday has something for every angle with abundant pattern-race action across three countries thrown into the bargain. While the 22-strong field assembled for the extended 15-furlong Ebor headed by the May 27 G3 Brigadier Gerard S. and July 2 Listed Gala S.-winning veteran Euchen Glen (GB) (Authorized {Ire}) offers a punting puzzle in Europe's version of the Melbourne Cup, the purists can revel in a string...
Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Sunday's Observations features a son of MG1SW Quiet Reflection (GB) (Showcasing {GB}). 1.25 Curragh, Mdn, €16,500, 2yo, 7fT BLUEGRASS (IRE) (Galileo {Ire}) is the first foal out of the G1 Commonwealth Cup and G1 Haydock Sprint Cup heroine Quiet Reflection (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) to race for Coolmore, who paid...
One of Ballydoyle's least-exposed older horses despite having already collected a GI Breeders' Cup Mile, Order of Australia (Ire) (Australia {GB}) drops to seven furlongs for the first time in his career in Sunday's G2 Romanised Minstrel S. at The Curragh. Only eighth on his return in Royal Ascot's G1 Queen Anne S. June 15, he takes a surprising step considering he was fourth in last year's G1 Irish Derby and won over that 12-furlong trip. He is joined by stablemate Military Style (War Front), who captured the G3 Tyros...
Group 2 winner Perfect Power (Ire) (Ardad {Ire}) is a likely supplement for the Aug. 8 G1 Keeneland Phoenix S. at The Curragh according to trainer Richard Fahey. Third at first asking at Newcastle near the end of May, the bay graduated at Hamilton on June 9 and clawed out a narrow win in the G2 Norfolk S. at Royal ascot on June 17. However, the Phoenix is not the only race being looked at by his connections, with the G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Gimcrack S. also under consideration...