The Curragh

Friday, Curragh, post time: 18:55, HEIDER FAMILY STABLES GALLINULE STAKES-G3, €36,000, 3yo, 10fT Field: Emit (Ire) (Too Darn Hot {GB}), Reyenzi (Fr) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}), Shackleton (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), Thrice (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Tiberius Thunder (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Dawn Spirit (Ire) (Australia {GB}). TDN Verdict: Aidan O'Brien runs last year's G3 Zetland Stakes runner-up Shackleton in the latest Derby trial he bids to annex during a stellar period for the stable, but there is a strong case to be made for Reyenzi following his impressive five-length Navan...

Returning to the scene of his G1 Irish Derby triumph, Ballydoyle's Los Angeles got his 4-year-old campaign off to a flyer in Monday's G2 Coolmore Stud City Of Troy Irish EBF Mooresbridge Stakes at The Curragh. Tracking the pace in second under Ryan Moore, the son of Camelot who was sent off the 10-11 favourite took over approaching the furlong pole and stayed on grimly to deny last year's winner White Birch by a neck. "He's a lovely big honest horse. When he gets there he doesn't do much, but...

Coming into Monday's G3 Coolmore Stud Auguste Rodin Irish EBF Athasi Stakes on the back of a debut win at modest Bellewstown, Barry Fowler's Atsila sprang a minor surprise to stake her Irish 1,000 Guineas claim over the same mile trip and Curragh track later this month. Belying inexperience by having the nous to thread between rivals under Gavin Ryan towards the business end, the daughter of Phoenix Of Spain who was a 11-1 shot overhauled the experienced Cercene inside the final 100 yards for a half-length verdict. There was...

In the first race at the Curragh on Saturday, GREEN SENSE (IRE) (f, 2, Starman {GB}--Big Boned, by Street Sense) broke well and stalked the pace in second through halfway in this debut. Making a forward move soon after passing the quarter-mile marker, the well-supported 5-2 favourite gained an edge approaching the final furlong and was ridden out to assert by three lengths from Extravagant (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), becoming the second winner for her freshman sire (by Dutch Art {GB}). "She's a well-bred filly and obviously the sire has...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-bred horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Saturday's Observations features a full-brother to Coolmore stallion Blackbeard (Ire). 2.20 Curragh, Cond, €22,000, 2yo, 5fT CHARLES DARWIN (IRE) (No Nay Never) is the fourth foal out of the G1 Moyglare Stud Stakes fourth Muirin (Ire) (Born To Sea {Ire}), whose son Blackbeard (Ire) carried all before him for...

Gerard Keane's stable star Crystal Black (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) is set to return in Saturday's Tote Alleged Stakes at the Curragh prior to a potential run in the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup on May 25. The seven-year-old, who is unbeaten in his last five starts, including the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes at Royal Ascot and the G3 Ballyroan Stakes in partnership with the trainer's champion jockey son Colin, is also entered in the Coolmore Stud City Of Troy Irish EBF Mooresbridge Stakes on May 5. "We are hoping to go...

The opening Castle Star At Capital Stud Irish EBF Maiden at the Curragh on Sunday saw Darley's first-season sire Space Blues (Ire) get off the mark as Power Blue (Ire) ran out an emphatic three-and-three-quarter-length winner in the hands of David Egan. It was also a third consecutive win in the race for trainer Adrian Murray after those of Bucanero Fuerte (GB) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) in 2023 and Arizona Blaze (GB) (Sergei Prokofiev) last year. Representing the LNA Racing Syndicate, Power Blue was a £44,000 purchase at the Goffs UK...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-bred 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 full-sister to Palace Pier GB) (Kingman {GB}). 15.10 Curragh, Mdn, €20,000, 3yo/up, f/m, 7fT Coolmore and Westerberg's hitherto untested WIN ME OVER (IRE) (Kingman {GB}) is a full-sister to five-time Group 1-winning sire Palace Pier (GB). The Aidan O'Brien trainee, who is set to be...

Find out what trainer says their charge has been "prepared to perfection" for the Irish Lincolnshire The Irish Flat season kicks off at the Curragh on Sunday and boy are we ready for it. The opening two-year-old maiden has been won by some top-notchers down through the years, including Bucanero Fuerte (GB) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), who went on to bag a breakthrough Group 1 success for the Amo Racing team.  There is no shortage of intriguing runners in this year's race, with first-season sires Space Blues (Ire), Lucky Vega (Ire),...

During 2019, we were fortunate to have Pat Smullen as a regular and immensely popular columnist for TDN. The struggle the former champion jockey faced in his life at that stage never coloured the effort and enthusiasm he put into reporting his weekly thoughts and valuable insights on racing.  One aspect that really shone through was how much he was dedicated to encouraging the younger members of the weighing-room, not to mention boosting the profile of the sport as a whole. That determination to help others was seen again in...

All eyes were on Ballydoyle's 10-11 favourite Giselle (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) ahead of Tuesday's G3 Staffordstown Stud Stakes, but it was the stablemate Whirl (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}--Salsa {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) who came up with the goods to edge The Curragh's mile feature. Sent straight to the front by Wayne Lordan from the outset, the relative of Galileo's star mares Hydrangea (Ire) and Hermosa (Ire) kept digging in as And So To Bed (Ire) (Kodiac {GB} threatened and briefly headed her in the final furlong to re-assert close home...

The Curragh's Tuesday card started with a bang as Al Shaqab Racing's newcomer Saracen (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}--Soteria {Ire}, by Acclamation {GB}) made an impressive start to his career in the six-furlong Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden. Restrained behind the front pair by Dylan Browne McMonagle throughout the early stages, the Joseph O'Brien-trained 3-1 shot who was a €500,000 purchase at Arqana Deauville August moved to the long-time leader Pickersgill (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining before staying on to score by four lengths. "He was impressive, he's a...