Green Impact amongst the favourites for the Glencairn Stakes at Leopardstown
Leopardstown hosts a good card and the listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Glencairn Stakes, which is one of the twin features on the programme, can go the way of Green Impact.
While it hasn't been the luckiest of seasons thus far for trainer Jessica Harrington, there have been positive signs in recent weeks, and considering the team was under a cloud when this fellow finished sixth in the Newmarket 2000 Guineas, significant improvement can be expected this time.
A Group 2 winner in his short juvenile season, he beat leading Epsom Derby fancy Delacroix that day and there is no reason to believe we've already seen the best of him.
In Newmarket, on his return, the pace didn't seem to be strong enough for him, and he found himself towards the head of the field a couple of furlongs from home. He wasn't able to sustain his effort, but he kept going well enough to hold on to sixth place behind Ruling Court.
The step up to nine furlongs should be no problem to him, and the recent rain, which has just taken away any potential fast ground scenario, is a positive for him. Sure, it would be better if the Harrington team was saddling winner after winner, but that day is bound to return and he can give the yard a welcome boost.
Currawood is a consistent sort at this sort of level and should go well, while the Ger Lyons-trained Bravais defied market weakness when winning on his stable debut and any further improvement would put him firmly in the frame here.
Pierre Royal can carry top weight to victory in the BoyleSports Home Of The Early Payout Handicap. Dermot Weld's Kingman colt was no match for the experienced First Wave on his debut but made no mistake on his second start, when leading all the way and winning by a wide margin.
Those efforts earned him an opening mark of 88 and that looks manageable for the three-year-old. Out of Rose De Pierre, who won a Curragh Maiden on debut and followed up in a handicap off a mark of 91, he too can climb to a rating in three figures, and this race can help him on his way there.
The Listed King George V Cup is a tricky looking contest, but there may be some value in siding with the Fozzy Stack-trained Bay Colony, despite the filly having a nice bit to find on official figures.
Last time out, on her first try at today's trip, she shed her maiden status, and there is a strong chance that the form is considerably better than it looked at the time. Better ground won't be a problem and she is just preferred to Arouet and Acapulco Bay.
LEOPARDSTOWN
4:20 Minerva
4:50 Love Billy Boy
5:25 Bay Colony
5:55 Green Impact (nap)
6:25 Pierre Royal (nb)
6:55 Zipster
7:30 Pink Socks
8:05 Great Mover
Next best
4:20 Little Sure Shot
4:50 Fort Vega
5:25 Arouet
5:55 Bravais
6:25 Ja'marr
6:55 Tachos
7:30 Instant Appeal
8:05 Amplitude
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RTÉ News
a day ago
- RTÉ News
Green Impact returns to winning ways at Leopardstown to set up Irish Derby bid
Green Impact made the most of having his sights lowered when stamping his class on the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Glencairn Stakes at Leopardstown, to set up a second Classic bid and also give this weekend's Epsom hopefuls a boost. Winner of a Group Two here last year from Derby favourite Delacroix, Jessica Harrington's charge finished sixth to Charlie Appleby's also-Epsom bound Ruling Court in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on his reappearance and was the 11-8 favourite to take advantage of calmer waters in this nine-furlong Listed event. Sent straight to the front by Shane Foley, the Marc Chan-owned Green Impact saw off his long-time pursuer Azada before then being challenged by Currawood, but had kept enough up his sleeve to prevail by half a length. Harrington revealed the Curragh for the Irish Derby on 28 June will be the target, saying: "Nobody wanted to go on and he only dosses in front. Shane said he was squeezing him along all the way. When the other horse came to him it looked like he was going to go past him, but he keeps lengthening. "All being well he'll go straight to the Irish Derby. Shane can't wait to see him run over a mile and a half. "I know he's by Wootton Bassett, but he's out of a Galileo mare so you'd hope he will stay. "I think he can go on any ground. That's ideal for him, it's good ground and there is no yielding in it." Johnny Murtagh has big-race ambitions of his own for Zahrann after the promising colt came from last to first to land the King George V Cup. A close second on his Navan debut before going one better at cramped odds at Cork, the son of Night Of Thunder – who races in the colours of the late Aga Khan – faced a significant rise in class for this mile-and-a-half Listed contest and was given plenty of time to find his feet during the early stages by jockey Ben Coen. He was still at the rear of the nine-runner field rounding the home turn, but despite showing signs of inexperience when asked to mount his challenge, the 5-2 shot displayed a smart change of gear to run down his rivals and he was ultimately well on top as he passed the post two and a quarter lengths in front. "He came out of Cork really well and we were happy coming here today. We thought a mile and a half would help him as well. He's not a slow horse, but he's learning all the time," said Murtagh. "The King Edward VII over a mile and a half at Royal Ascot could be a possibility, depending on how he comes out of this race, and if he won that you could definitely think about supplementing him for the Irish Derby. "We'll take it race by race, but the team supplemented one for the English Derby (Midak). He's a progressive three-year-old and I said to them this is our Calandagan, who won the race in Ascot last year and was able to rock up in York (Juddmonte International) and in those big mile-and-a-quarter races. "I'm hopeful this horse can keep improving right through the year and get right to the top." Moments Of Joy may have earned herself a place on Aidan O'Brien's Royal Ascot team after upsetting better-fancied stablemate Minerva in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden. Minerva, a 1.5million guineas yearling purchase in October and a daughter of Frankel, was the 8-15 favourite to make a successful start to her career in the hands of Ryan Moore, with fellow Ballydoyle runner Moments Of Joy a 3-1 shot under Wayne Lordan. While Minerva looked all at sea from an early stage, Justify filly Moments Of Joy battled her way to the front in the home straight and found more once challenged by Little Sure Shot to emerge victorious by half a length. Minerva got the hang of things late on to finish four lengths further behind in third. Ballydoyle representative Chris Armstrong said: "Aidan felt they were two lovely fillies coming here and they have both never been away. "Ryan's filly was very green, but he really likes her. Even in the parade ring she was very green, but the way she finished off was a positive. Wayne's filly was more professional. They went a solid pace, and it caught them out early. "We'll see how she comes out of this and she could be one for the Chesham. She's a fine, big, scopey filly with a great temperament and there would be no trouble stepping up in trip."
Irish Examiner
2 days ago
- Irish Examiner
Green Impact amongst the favourites for the Glencairn Stakes at Leopardstown
Leopardstown hosts a good card and the listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Glencairn Stakes, which is one of the twin features on the programme, can go the way of Green Impact. While it hasn't been the luckiest of seasons thus far for trainer Jessica Harrington, there have been positive signs in recent weeks, and considering the team was under a cloud when this fellow finished sixth in the Newmarket 2000 Guineas, significant improvement can be expected this time. A Group 2 winner in his short juvenile season, he beat leading Epsom Derby fancy Delacroix that day and there is no reason to believe we've already seen the best of him. In Newmarket, on his return, the pace didn't seem to be strong enough for him, and he found himself towards the head of the field a couple of furlongs from home. He wasn't able to sustain his effort, but he kept going well enough to hold on to sixth place behind Ruling Court. The step up to nine furlongs should be no problem to him, and the recent rain, which has just taken away any potential fast ground scenario, is a positive for him. Sure, it would be better if the Harrington team was saddling winner after winner, but that day is bound to return and he can give the yard a welcome boost. Currawood is a consistent sort at this sort of level and should go well, while the Ger Lyons-trained Bravais defied market weakness when winning on his stable debut and any further improvement would put him firmly in the frame here. Pierre Royal can carry top weight to victory in the BoyleSports Home Of The Early Payout Handicap. Dermot Weld's Kingman colt was no match for the experienced First Wave on his debut but made no mistake on his second start, when leading all the way and winning by a wide margin. Those efforts earned him an opening mark of 88 and that looks manageable for the three-year-old. Out of Rose De Pierre, who won a Curragh Maiden on debut and followed up in a handicap off a mark of 91, he too can climb to a rating in three figures, and this race can help him on his way there. The Listed King George V Cup is a tricky looking contest, but there may be some value in siding with the Fozzy Stack-trained Bay Colony, despite the filly having a nice bit to find on official figures. Last time out, on her first try at today's trip, she shed her maiden status, and there is a strong chance that the form is considerably better than it looked at the time. Better ground won't be a problem and she is just preferred to Arouet and Acapulco Bay. LEOPARDSTOWN 4:20 Minerva 4:50 Love Billy Boy 5:25 Bay Colony 5:55 Green Impact (nap) 6:25 Pierre Royal (nb) 6:55 Zipster 7:30 Pink Socks 8:05 Great Mover Next best 4:20 Little Sure Shot 4:50 Fort Vega 5:25 Arouet 5:55 Bravais 6:25 Ja'marr 6:55 Tachos 7:30 Instant Appeal 8:05 Amplitude
RTÉ News
3 days ago
- RTÉ News
Unbeaten Desert Flower heads Oaks field
Desert Flower will face eight rivals as she bids for a second Classic strike in Friday's Betfred Oaks at Epsom. The Charlie Appleby-trained filly extended her unbeaten record to five with an all-the-way success in last month's 1000 Guineas and she is a short-priced favourite to take the step up to a mile and a half in her stride. The supplemented Elwateen, who finished a fine fourth in the Guineas for Saeed bin Suroor on what was just her second ever start, also takes a major step up in trip. Aidan O'Brien has trained 10 Oaks winners so far and he fields three this time, with Chester Oaks winner Minnie Hauk, Lingfield victor Giselle and Musidora winner Whirl all going for gold. Qilin Queen and Revoir, first and second in a Newbury Listed contest last time out, renew their rivalry for Ed Walker and Ralph Beckett respectively, while Joseph O'Brien's Wemighttakedlongway and outsider Go Go Boots for John and Thady Gosden complete the line up. French raider Calandagan leads seven declarations for the Betfred Coronation Cup on the same card. The four-year-old was narrowly beaten on his seasonal bow in the Sheema Classic at Meydan in April, but is a clear market leader for Francis-Henri Graffard in the Group One heat. O'Brien saddles two with Jan Brueghel and Continuous, the last two St Leger winners, both lining up. Marco Botti's Giavellotto was fifth in the Sheema Classic and tries his luck again, with Ancient Wisdom, Bellum Justum and the Beckett-trained You Got To Me, winner of last year's Irish Oaks and now in the Amo Racing silks, the other contenders.
