The Curragh

As if Saturday's action at The Curragh hadn't already championed Cooomore's stratospheric Wootton Bassett, along came Whirl to hammer home the point in a thrilling renewal of the feature G1 Pretty Polly Stakes. Outgunning Juddmonte's accomplished Kalpana (Study Of Man) following a prolonged tussle between the elite mastercraftsmen Ryan Moore and Colin Keane, Ballydoyle's Oaks runner-up followed on where the stable's Dorset and Beautify had led earlier in the afternoon. Reminding the world that he remains a racing fan, Aidan O'Brien was quick to pay tribute to the actors involved...

Denying a whitewash for Wootton Bassett on The Curragh's Saturday card, Moyglare Stud's homebred Suzie Songs (Starspangledbanner) did the unexpected and upset Ballydoyle's 2-9 favourite Flushing Meadows in the G3 Jebel Ali Racecourse and Stables Anglesey Stakes. For once, Colin Keane was able to get the better of Ryan Moore on the afternoon in the one race that looked least likely. "She's a nice filly with a bit of size and scope and is bred to go further," the winning rider said. "She wants it and seven or a mile...

Making it a quickfire double on The Curragh's Saturday card for the lethal combination of Aidan O'Brien, Ryan Moore and Wootton Bassett, Beautify ended the unbeaten run of Lady Iman (Starman) in a demanding renewal of the G2 Airlie Stud Stakes. "Ryan was very impressed. He said he'd love to go up to seven with her, that's a very good sign when you hear him talking like that," the Ballydoyle handler said. "Obviously she's a Moyglare-type filly when Ryan says that, but obviously gets six very strong and travelled very...

Such is the record of The Curragh's Barronstown Stud Maiden, it is a given that Aidan O'Brien reserves one of his best for the seven-furlong contest and Dorset lived up to the billing to become Wootton Bassett's latest TDN Rising Star. "He's a lovely straighforward horse who will get further," commented O'Brien, who had won this race with City Of Troy, Rip Van Winkle, Gleneagles, Roderic O'Connor, Duke Of Marmalade, Horatio Nelson and Australia. "Ryan gave him an uncomplicated ride and he's a good mover who could go for any of those races--the...

2nd-Curragh, €20,000, Mdn, 6-27, 2yo, 7fT, 1:26.43, gd. COMPOSING (IRE) (f, 2, Wootton Bassett {GB}--Epona Plays {Ire} {MGSW-Ire, $208,285}, by Australia {GB}), the subject of support into 3-1 second favouritism, was up in the front line from the outset in this maiden won 12 months ago by stablemate Lake Victoria. Pressed by Cape Sounion (No Nay Never) inside the final two furlongs, the first foal out of the Group 2-winning dam stayed on to score by 3/4 of a length. "She's a filly that will get further, she's uncomplicated," Aidan...

Jessica Harrington has provided a positive bulletin on Green Impact ahead of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby and said that success in Sunday's big race would rival any of her exploits to date.  Green Impact is a general 10-1 chance for Irish Derby glory and comes into the race off the back of a confidence-booster in the Glencairn Stakes at Leopardstown after losing a shoe at a vital stage of the 2,000 Guineas on his seasonal return. Harrington said, "These are very important races and ones that are recognised...

Ryan Moore will hardly have enjoyed a more straightforward Classic ride than on Frankel's Lake Victoria in Sunday's G1 Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas, with the 2024 champion once again back at the forefront. Heavily-supported into 10-11 favouritism to build on her comeback sixth in the 1,000 Guineas three weeks ago, last year's G1 Moyglare Stud Stakes, G1 Cheveley Park Stakes and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf heroine was placed in the box seat early behind the 50-1 shot California Dreamer. With that outsider firmly in his sights, it is...

Drawing on all his inherent toughness on Sunday, Ballydoyle's emerging middle-distance heavyweight Los Angeles defied Anmaat in a duel to the line in The Curragh's G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup. Merely hinting at what was to come with his comeback G2 Mooresbridge Stakes win, last year's G1 Irish Derby hero sat three lengths off the demanding pace before taking over two out. Responding to Ryan Moore's call to ward off the Shadwell runner, having been headed inside the final furlong, the 9-4 favourite carved out a half-length advantage at the line...

Exposed on the wing the whole way through Sunday's G2 Lanwades Stud Stakes, Porta Fortuna had good reason to cave in on her seasonal return but that is just not her style. Defying any rustiness and a penalty in The Curragh's mile contest, last year's G1 Coronation Stakes, G1 Falmouth Stakes and G1 Matron Stakes heroine was delivered passing two out by Ryan Moore to take control and justify 5-4 favouritism by half a length from Gleneagles' One Look. Moore was truly in the zone on Sunday and in no...

Perhaps unlucky in Newmarket's 2,000 Guineas, Juddmonte's Field Of Gold was in a class of his own in Saturday's Tattersalls-sponsored Irish equivalent at The Curragh. More at home on this conventional galloping track, the even-money favourite never looked in any semblance of trouble travelling kindly for Colin Keane despite being trapped wide without cover. Sent forward approaching two out, the son of Kingman demonstrated his superior acceleration to settle the issue quickly. Forging clear with a typically dynamic closing quarter, the Clarehaven supremo was chased home by Cosmic Year at...

Given the recent history of The Curragh's opening 2-year-old maiden of its Guineas weekend, it was no surprise that Aidan O'Brien was to unveil another TDN Rising Star for Wootton Bassett in the deeply promising newcomer Brussels. Sent off at 11-4 for the six-furlong contest won in the past five years by the stable's subsequent luminaries Henri Matisse, Unquestionable and Arizona, the 300,000gns Tattersalls October Book 2 graduate cruised along behind his experienced stablemate Kansas with Ryan Moore poised. Cajoled by that fellow son of Wootton Bassett inside the final...

There was drama at the end of Friday's G3 Heider Family Stables Gallinule Stakes at The Curragh, with The Aga Khan Studs' Reyenzi demoted from first to third and Ballydoyle's Thrice handed the prize by the stewards. Judged to have caused sufficient interference to the eventual runner-up a furlong from home to have affected the outcome, the Johnny Murtagh-trained Navan maiden winner who had finished first past the post by a head was stripped of the 10-furlong contest. That means that Aidan O'Brien has another recognised Derby trial in the bag in 2025,...