The Curragh

In the week that Wootton Bassett was lost, one of his many TDN Rising Stars Dorset demonstrated the void that he will leave for the industry in Saturday's Goffs Million. Fourth in the Vincent O'Brien National Stakes earlier this month, the 17-2 shot had some of the best form in the line-up and was sent to the front by apprentice Jack Cleary before halfway. Staying on stoutly in the closing stages, the grey relative of Winter secured the prize by 1 1/4 lengths from the Ivan Furtado-trained 28-1 outsider August...

Hawk Mountain won the G2 Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club Beresford Stakes in front-running fashion at The Curragh on Saturday, his first stakes victory and the 52nd group winner for the late Wootton Bassett. The Coolmore partners colourbearer defeated G2 Futurity Stakes runner-up Geryon (Lope De Vega) by 3 1/4 lengths, with that rival just overtaking Al Haarith (Lope De Vega) by a head in the dying strides. Sent off at 5-4, the son of Group 1 scorer Hydrangea (Galileo) cut out the running against the fence while pressed by...

by Tom Frary and Brian Sheerin Joseph O'Brien has nominated Group 2 scorer Green Sense (Starman) as being the best of his five-pronged attack on Saturday's Goffs Million but admitted his bid for back-to-back renewals of the lucrative prize will not be easy and labelled this year's line-up the strongest he has ever seen.  Dylan Browne McMonagle has predictably sided with Green Sense, who was so good in the Goffs Prix Robert Papin back in July and was last seen finishing third behind Power Blue in the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes....

Few trainers emerged from the Irish Champions Festival happier than trainer John O'Donoghue who, despite drawing a blank with his only runner across the two-day meeting, walked out of the Curragh racecourse on Sunday in little doubt over the talent his stable star It's A Heartbeat is blessed with.  The lightly-raced Too Darn Hot filly could not have been more impressive in swatting away the Johnny Murtagh-trained Shaool by almost four lengths when last seen in a handicap at that track last month.  Shaool paid a handsome compliment to It's...

With her winning momentum abruptly halted last time, many would have made the presumption that Barnavara (Calyx) was at a plateau but Alpha Racing's flagbearer was not having any of that on Sunday. Ruthlessly dominant in The Curragh's G2 Moyglare Jewels Blandford Stakes, the 6-1 shot had the notable yardsticks One Look (Gleneagles) and Red Letter (Frankel) trailing in her wake as she registered a third Stakes win under Shane Foley. "She's a fantastic filly and is improving all the time," trainer Jessica Harrington said. "She's a big filly and...

Australian Bloodstock's Al Riffa (Wootton Bassett) was the only Group 1 winner lining up for Sunday's G1 Comer Group International Irish St Leger and as he crossed the line alone at The Curragh it certainly looked like it. Always cruising throughout the generously-paced 14-furlong test under a clinically-judged ride from Dylan Browne McMonagle, the 3-1 shot swamped the three-year-old Amiloc (Postponed) a furlong out before powering to a four-length success. "I was able to take my time and every time I asked him he was there," the rider said of...

In a fairytale ending to one of the key stallion-making races of the season, the judge's photo showed the 35,000gns Without Parole colt Zavateri in front of the 450,000gns buy Gstaad (Starspangledbanner) at the culmination of Sunday's G1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National Stakes at The Curragh. Having been 18-1 when swooping in Newmarket's G2 July Stakes and 8-1 when following up in Goodwood's G2 Vintage Stakes, Mick and Janice Mariscotti's Tattersalls October Book 2 bargain was 15-2 this time as Charles Bishop waited patiently for his effort in rear. Showing...

Thoroughly deserving of his first Group 1 success on Sunday, AMO Racing Limited and Giselle De Aguiar's Arizona Blaze (Sergei Prokofiev) justified David Egan's call to partner him in The Curragh's Bar One Flying Five Stakes. Taking a lead from the owners' other live contender Bucanero Fuerte (Wootton Bassett), the 11-2 shot stayed on strongly to edge ahead a furlong out and land the five-furlong prize by a length from Nighteyes (Night Of Thunder) with Bucanero Fuerte holding on for third. "I had to go with my gut feeling and I...

As it had 12 months ago, The Curragh's G1 Moyglare Stud Stakes went to Ballydoyle but not to their first string as Precise (Starspangledbanner) emulated Lake Victoria to emerge best of the stable trio under Ronan Whelan. Like Bedtime Story last year, the even-money favourite Composing (Wootton Bassett) cut out the running but faded late, leaving it to Precise and Beautify (Wootton Bassett) to fight out the finish with the former the stronger by 3/4 of a length. "I didn't jump as cleanly as I would have liked, but she...

Off the mark by eight lengths over six furlongs at The Curragh earlier this month, Ballydoyle's Mission Central (No Nay Never) came back to the same course and distance to collect Saturday's G3 Heider Family Stables Round Tower Stakes. Always in control on the front end under Wayne Lordan, the 11-8 favourite kept finding to score by 3/4 of a length from The Publican's Son (Beau Liam). "Wayne said he was still green. He said he was there at halfway and he was waiting," Aidan O'Brien said. "He said he...

Stepping up off a debut sixth behind Composing to win at Leopardstown last month, Philip Antonacci's Queen Of Hawaii (Kingman) continued the progression to take Saturday's G3 Newtownanner Stud Irish EBF Stakes at The Curragh. Sent off the 100-30 second favourite for the mile contest, registered as the Flame of Tara, the Joseph O'Brien-trained €250,000 Goffs Orby Book 1 purchase swamped Moments Of Joy (Justify) approaching the final furlong en route to a 2 1/4-length success. "She was very well bought by Philip Antonacci at Goffs and won her maiden...

Justifying 10-11 favouritism in The Curragh's opening mile maiden on Saturday, Ballydoyle's Hawk Mountain (Wootton Bassett) made all under Wayne Lordan deputising for the stricken Ryan Moore. Always comfortable setting his own tempo, the son of the dual Group 1 winner Hydrangea (Galileo) who was fifth on debut here earlier this month saw off Mr Vettori (Lope De Vega) to score by 1 1/2 lengths. ✅ Off the mark Hawk Mountain (Wootton Bassett x Hydrangea) opens the account at the second time of asking for team Ballydoyle @curraghrace pic.twitter.com/PGo9dlH8vP —...