The Curragh

While he had to work to land odds of 1-2 in Saturday's G3 Holden Plant Rentals Alleged S. at The Curragh, Coolmore and Masaaki Matsushima's Broome (Ire) (Australia {GB}) managed to collect and maintain his perfect sequence in 2021. Authoritative when taking the Listed Devoy S. over this 10-furlong trip on contrasting soft ground at Naas Mar. 28, the 2019 G3 Ballysax S. and G3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial S. winner who was also a close fourth in that year's G1 Epsom Derby is back on an even keel this...

Winless in three outings since registering a career high in last term's G3 Gladness S. at The Curragh, Gay Smith's Lancaster House (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) went postward as the 9-4 favourite for this year's TRI Equestrian-sponsored renewal and became the first back-to-back winner of the seven-furlong event with an impressive 2 1/2-length victory from Current Option (Ire) (Camelot {GB}). The 5-year-old bay followed up last year's triumph with a second over course and distance in the G2 Minstrel S., but was off the radar and failed to beat a single...

Last year's champion 3-year-old filly and dual Classic winner Love (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is among the entries for Saturday's G3 Alleged S. at The Curragh, but trainer Aidan O'Brien has indicated that the chestnut is likely to wait for the G2 Mooresbridge S. at the same venue on May 3. Love's stablemate Broome (Ire) (Australia {GB}), a multiple Group 3-winning 5-year-old, is likely to deputize in the Alleged. "Broome is likely to run in the Alleged at The Curragh on Saturday," O'Brien said. "He's already had a run, and Love...

GAIN Equine Nutrition will sponsor a series of three 2-year-old races at The Curragh billed as the "Champion Collection", the racecourse announced on Tuesday. The company initially sponsored the G1 Irish St Leger in 2012, switched to sponsoring the G2 Railway S. in 2014 and added the Listed First Flier S. in 2020. The G3 Marble Hill S. will be added to GAIN's sponsorship portfolio for the first time this term. In addition, the winning horse from the GAIN Railway S. will receive a free entry into the G1 Keeneland...

Racing success makes the name of a horse just right in most cases, and this is likely to happen with very promising 3-year-old filly JOAN OF ARC, a winner at The Curragh Mar. 21, the first day of spring. Still, this beautiful name seems so appropriate even now, because of the underlying historical connection between the French heroine Joan of Arc and the great scientist Galileo Galilei. In fact, both Joan of Arc and Galileo got in trouble with the Inquisition--to put it mildly. It was, and it was not,...

GAIN Equine Nutrition will sponsor a new race series, The Advantage Series, for the Irish Flat Season, Horse Racing Ireland announced on Tuesday. Launched with Ado McGuinness Racing, the eight part series of races will be run for points over a variety of conditions to cater to different trainers and horses throughout the season. For each race, there will be a 40% prizemoney boost. A grand prize of €5,000 worth of GAIN Equine Nutrition products will be awarded to the trainer who tops the GAIN The Advantage Series at the...

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 daughter of one of Coolmore's top producers. 2.30 Curragh, Mdn, €12,000, 3yo/up, f/m, 7fT JOAN OF ARC (IRE) (Galileo {Ire}) is one of the standout characters on The Curragh's 2021 turf season opener, being Ballydoyle's full-sister to the Classic-winning Gleneagles (Ire) and Marvellous (Ire) and...

Tattersalls will continue its sponsorship of the Irish 2000 and 1000 Guineas and the Tattersalls Gold Cup in 2021. The Irish Guineas Festival at The Curragh takes place on May 22 and 23 this year. Prizemoney for the Tattersalls Irish 2000 and 1000 Guineas will be €400,000 apiece, while the Gold Cup will be worth €300,000. Edmond Mahony, chairman of Tattersalls, said, "The Tattersalls Irish Guineas Festival is a hugely important part of the Tattersalls global sponsorship portfolio and demonstrates our sustained commitment to supporting the racing and breeding industries...

Group 1 winner Princess Zoe (Ger) (Jukebox Jury {Ire}) is targeting the G3 Alleged S. at The Curragh in April for her seasonal return according to trainer Tony Mullins. A winner of the G1 Prix du Cadran, the charismatic grey mare was last seen in action finishing fourth in the G1 Prix Royal-Oak at ParisLongchamp in October. "We're looking at the Alleged S.," the Gowran trainer tweeted. "It's only a mile and a quarter. I don't know if it's a winnable distance for her at that level, but we're going...

Bookmaker Betway announced it will become the betting partner of the Tattersalls Irish Guineas Festival at The Curragh. The two-day festival, conducted May 22 and 23, encompasses six sponsored races, including the G1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas and G1 Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas. Evan Arkwright Racing and Sponsorship Manager for The Curragh commented: "We are delighted to welcome Betway to the Curragh for the first time and their support during such challenging times is a great confidence boost to The Curragh and Irish racing. Their brand will be associated with...

The Curragh announced that the Niarchos Family will sponsor the Aug. 22 G2 Debutante S. to acknowledge the racing career of Niarchos homebred Alpha Centauri (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), who was named Cartier champion 3-year-old filly and Irish Horse of the Year in 2018. During her racing career, she won six of 10 starts, including the G1 Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas, G1 Coronation S., G1 Falmouth S. and G1 Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard. "The Niarchos family are synonymous with racing at the Curragh with their name associated with numerous high-quality...

Racehorse owner Robert Ng has agreed to a three year sponsorship of The Curragh's G2 Minstrel S., which will be run as the Romanised Minstrel S. in honor of Ng's G1 Irish 2000 Guineas and G1 Prix Jacques le Marois winner Romanised (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), who also won the Minstrel in 2019 and 2020. Romanised enters stud this year at Haras de Bouquetot in Normandy, France. Ng said, "It gives me great pleasure to sponsor the Minstrel S. as The Curragh has been a lucky racecourse for me....