Sangster sets sights on taking top billing at the Curragh
Each defied large odds to run a huge race behind the Godolphin hotpot and unless the ground at the Curragh is drastically changed by late rain, they will cross paths again.
CLASS 💫
Desert Flower sees her race out strongly to justify short odds in the 1000 Guineas.
The boys in blue are on fire! 🟦 @Betfred | @WilliamBuickX | @godolphin pic.twitter.com/2eXxBdkYGd
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) May 4, 2025
'They're both travelling, Flight will run regardless and Simmering is due to run at the moment and will unless we get a lot of rain and the ground goes very soft,' said Sangster.
'They're both very well, they have taken the race at Newmarket well and we've been happy with them since.
'Simmering ran a great race in the Moyglare for second last year at the Curragh, and she ran a good race at Newmarket to pass some nice horses.
'For Flight, I think the galloping nature of the Curragh track will suit her and she has a nice draw, we'd be hopeful of a big race.'
Aidan O'Brien's Lake Victoria failed to fire in the English Guineas when coming home sixth of 10, but connections had made it clear her preparation was not ideal and that she was expected to come on leaps and bounds for the run.
The bay daughter of Frankel was unbeaten at two and already has three Group One titles to her name, including a defeat of Simmering in that Moyglare contest, so a return to form on the Curragh is justifiably expected, with the Ballydoyle maestro chasing an 11th success in the race.
Lake Victoria beats Simmering in the Moyglare (Niall Carson/PA).
O'Brien told Racing TV: 'She's a totally different filly than she was at Newmarket, she's doing everything really smooth and real easy.
'We thought she would and really she was only ready for a racecourse gallop going to Newmarket, we were wanting to take her to the Curragh here and then we said we'd leave her go, because we obviously didn't have anything in the Guineas at Newmarket.
'We let her run and she ran very well, considering everything, but she has made great improvement since then.'
Dermot Weld, who claimed this prize in 2022 and 2023 to make it six wins overall, is represented by Swelter, a Juddmonte owned and bred daughter of Kingman who was last seen winning the Group Three Priory Belle Stakes at Leopardstown in March.
That run maintained her unbeaten record and though she is only lightly campaigned so far, she is clearly highly regarded by connections.
Swelter scoring at Leopardstown (Niall Carson/PA).
'The Priory Belle was a lovely run, she's a beautiful filly who has run twice and won twice,' said Juddmonte's Barry Mahon.
'She lacks a bit of experience but she's a filly we're very much looking forward to.
'She's a very exciting horse.'
Archie Watson's Duty First finished ninth in the Guineas at Newmarket when struggling with the track, but prior to that she was the winner of Newbury's Fred Darling and her trainer is happy to disregard her Rowley Mile performance.
He said: 'She didn't handle the track at Newmarket at all and stumbled badly on the undulations.
'Hopefully we can put a line through that run. I have been very happy with her at home since and the track at the Curragh should suit her much better.'
Atsila winning the Athasi Stakes (Niall Carson/PA).
Donnacha O'Brien has supplemented Atsila, who did not run at two but has done nothing wrong to win both her starts so far this term – including in the course-and-distance Athasi Stakes.
The trainer said: 'Her form looks strong. To be fair to Barry (Fowler, owner), he is game for anything.
'It was my fault that I didn't have her in the race in the first place but he's more than happy to supplement and take a chance.
'I think she's entitled to be in the race.'
Elsewhere in the contest, there is the Adrian Murray-trained duo of California Dreamer and Jaliyah, with Aidan O'Brien having a second runner in January and Paddy Twomey saddling City Of Memphis.
Joseph Murphy's Cercene and Eoghan O'Neill's Tamam Desert complete the field.
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He was said to need the run and his trainer's last two winners of this race were bouncing back from disappointing reappearances. Ryan Moore has deserted him for Delacroix and slow ground would be a question mark, but he shouldn't be written off. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Damysus (15) – 12/1 with Betfred Trainer: John and Thady Gosden; Jockey: James Doyle: By the great Frankel out of a 1m 4f Group 2 winner. Improving with racing, most recently finishing second to Pride Of Arras in the 1m 2f Dante Stakes at York. Didn't help himself by hanging left, so he will need to be more professional to handle this trickier track, with its camber in the straight, while the Dante form may not be reliable. But he's still learning and could progress enough for the greater stamina test. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Lambourn (10) – 12/1 with Betfred Trainer: Aidan O'Brien; Jockey: Wayne Lordan: By his connections' 2014 Derby winner Australia. Runner-up to stablemate Delacroix over 1m 2f on reappearance, before winning Group 3 Chester Vase over this trip. Needs to improve a lot. ⭐⭐⭐ Stanhope Gardens (2) – 16/1 with Betfred Trainer: Ralph Beckett; Jockey: Hector Crouch: Ran green when third behind Ruling Court in a 7f maiden at Sandown on their debuts last year and later finished a close second to Delacroix in the Group 3 Autumn Stakes over a mile at Newmarket. Has had an unconventional prep, returning only two weeks ago to win what was little better than an egg-and-spoon race over a mile at Salisbury. His connections have been keen to get him here but he needs to improve, which he may do for this trip. ⭐⭐⭐ Midak (4) – 16/1 with Betfred Trainer: Francis-Henri Graffard; Jockey: Mickael Barzalona: French-trained runner who seems to have surprised his connections, as he wasn't originally entered in this race or some other big events but has been supplemented into this field for £75,000. Goes for the Aga Khan Studs and this year's Derby is being run in honour of the late owner, His Highness Aga Khan IV, whose five Derby winners include Shergar. Successful on all three starts in France, most recently the 1m 2½f Group 3 Prix Greffulhe at Saint-Cloud, which Mickael Barzalona won on Pour Moi before their Derby win in 2011. Not as flashy as some of these, but he'll stay well. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Nightwalker (5) – 25/1 with Betfred Trainer: John and Thady Gosden; Jockey: Tom Marquand: Another by Frankel and out of a half-sister to same connections' Logician (by Frankel), who won the St Leger over 1m 6½f. Looks to need this trip and more, most recently keeping on after getting behind in the 1m 2f Dante Stakes at York (behind two of these rivals). May not be fast enough, but his best is still to come. Now fitted with cheekpieces for the first time. ⭐⭐⭐ Tennessee Stud (12) – 33/1 with Betfred Trainer: Joseph O'Brien; Jockey: Dylan Browne McMonagle: Successful in a three-runner Group 1 race over 1m 2f on heavy ground in France last year (Green Storm second). That race was won the previous season by the same owner's Los Angeles, who was then third in this race and won the Irish Derby. This race has been the plan ever since France. Was beaten almost seven lengths into third by Delacroix at Leopardstown on his reappearance (1m 2f), but a steady early pace placed the emphasis on speed, and he will have needed the run, as his connections chose to skip the early Derby trials. Stamina looks like his game and he's a big horse who has improvement in him. Might not be the worst outsider. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Tornado Alert (11) – 33/1 with Betfred Trainer: Saeed bin Suroor; Jockey: Oisin Murphy: Front-running fourth behind Ruling Court in the 2,000 Guineas over a mile at Newmarket on his reappearance. 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Presumably he needed the run, but his stamina is questionable looking at the pedigree. ⭐ Sea Scout (18) – 100/1 with Betfred Trainer: Simon and Ed Crisford; Jockey: Harry Davies: Another by the 2009 winner Sea The Stars. Narrowly won 1m 2f Listed race here on reappearance, before fading behind a few of these in the Dante at York, where he took a keen hold. Hard to fancy. ⭐ Lazy Griff (3) – 100/1 with Betfred Trainer: Charlie Johnston; Jockey: Christophe Soumillon: Beaten into second by Lambourn in the 1m 4f Chester Vase on his reappearance, but the winner was race-fit whereas this colt had reportedly missed a workout and was short of peak fitness. Plenty of improvement needed but he stays and won't mind rain, so he's worth considering at huge odds. ⭐ ⭐ ⭐⭐ Nightime Dancer (9) – 150/1 with Betfred Trainer: Richard Hannon; Jockey: Jamie Spencer: Raced wide into the straight when third in the Lingfield Derby Trial (the first two finishers are missing from this race) and it's possible the ground was too fast for him. Needs to do way more now, but he isn't dismissed. ⭐⭐ Green Storm (8) – 200/1 with Betfred Trainer: Charlie Johnston; Jockey: Billy Loughnane: Second of three behind Tennessee Stud in a Group 1 race over 1m 2f in France last year. Found 1m 1f too short when a well-beaten fourth in the Feilden Stakes at Newmarket on reappearance. His dam won a Group 2 race over 1m 4f and he can improve for this test, but he doesn't look good enough. ⭐⭐ Odds courtesy of Betfred and correct at time of writing. Royal Ascot is less than two weeks away. 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