Sangster sets sights on taking top billing at the Curragh

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25-05-2025

Flight and Simmering took home silver and bronze medals respectively in the English equivalent at Newmarket, with the former a length behind Desert Flower and the latter a further length behind her stablemate.
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.
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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.