The Curragh
A field of 15 have been declared for Saturday's G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at The Curragh, with Aidan O'Brien responsible for six. The master of Ballydoyle's main chances appear to be last week's G2 Queen's Vase winner Santiago (Ire) (Authorized {Ire}) and G2 King Edward VII S. runner-up Arthur's Kingdom (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) in the largest field since 1977. Santiago has been done no favours by the draw, having been posted wide in 11 while Joseph O'Brien has a trio engaged headed by Scott Heider's unbeaten G3 Gallinule...
Juddmonte will sponsor the G1 Irish Oaks for the next three years, The Curragh announced via Horse Racing Ireland on Wednesday. The 2020 edition is slated for Saturday, July 18. The distinctive pink, green and white silks have been first past the post three times in the fillies' Classic-Wemyss Bight (GB) (Dancing Brave) in 1993, Bolas (GB) (Unfuwain) in 1994 and Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) took the 2017 edition. In 2020, Prince Khalid Abdullah's operation will be represented by homebred fillies G1 bet365 Fillies' Mile victress Quadrilateral (GB) (Frankel {GB})...
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....
There were a few nervous moments for connections of Siskin (First Defence) as Friday's G1 Irish 2000 Guineas unwound, but class ultimately told in the first Curragh Classic of 2020 to end Ger Lyons's agonisingly long wait for his red-letter day. Unbeaten on Irish soil last term, having captured the important juvenile staging posts of the G2 Railway S. and G1 Phoenix S. here, Khalid Abdullah's homebred had lost his head in the stalls at the start of Newmarket's G1 Middle Park S. to put a question mark into the...
Coolmore's newcomer Admiral Nelson (GB) (Kingman {GB}) topped the lists at last year's Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale, when knocked down to M V Magnier for £440,000 and the strapping bay repaid some of that outlay and earned 'TDN Rising Stardom' when scorching to an impressive one-length success in Friday's Tally-Ho Stud Irish EBF (C&G) Maiden over five furlongs at The Curragh. The 5-1 chance was among the slowest into stride, but tanked by rivals to stalk the leading wave from a position in the second rank after the initial...
While Khalid Abdullah's unbeaten Siskin (First Defence) is the current favourite for Friday evening's €250,000 G1 Irish 2000 Guineas at The Curragh, the G2 Railway S. and G1 Phoenix S. winner is far from the certainty that Pinatubo (Ire) (Shamardal) appeared to be at Newmarket six days earlier and even that champion met with reversal at crunch-time. Connections will be hoping that the forecast rain does not make a major difference to the current fast conditions and the homebred enters his Classic test showing all the right signals. His biggest...
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 the debut of the top lot from last year's Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale. 4.05 Curragh, Mdn, €17,500, 2yo, c/g, 5fT ADMIRAL NELSON (FR) (Kingman {GB}), a son of the stakes-winning Shamandar (Fr) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}), topped the sheets when knocked down for £440,000 at...
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...
Khalid Abdullah's unbeaten Siskin (First Defence) will have 10 rivals to contend with in Friday evening's €250,000 G1 Irish 2000 Guineas at The Curragh after the draw was made on Wednesday. Successful in the G2 Railway S. and G1 Phoenix S. over six furlongs at the track last summer, the homebred is nevertheless on a retrieval mission having been taken out at the start of the G1 Middle Park S. at Newmarket when becoming upset in the stalls. Provided there is no repeat of that, he has a favourable draw...
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...
Juddmonte's undefeated G1SW Siskin (First Defence) tops 15 contenders for Friday's G1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas at The Curragh at the latest entry stage. Ger Lyons's charge won each of his four starts last term, culminating in the G1 Phoenix S., but was withdrawn at the start on his intended finale in the G1 Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket after proving unruly in the stalls. Aidan O'Brien has seven colts in the mix at this stage, headed by Armory (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) who won the G2 Futurity S. and G3...
Paddy Power has renewed its partnership with The Curragh to sponsor a series of historic premier handicaps. Paddy Power will kick off its sponsorship with the Paddy Power Lincolnshire on June 12, followed by the Rockingham H. on June 28; the Scurry H. on July 18, the Irish Cambridgeshire on Aug. 28 and the Irish Cesarewitch on Oct. 11. Paddy Power will also continue its sponsorship of the G2 Minstrel S. on Irish Oaks Day July 18. Pat Keogh, chief executive officer of The Curragh, said, "Our partnership with Paddy...