Latest news with #CoolmoreStudTheAntarcticRace
Irish Independent
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Babouche proves highlight of brilliant treble for Ger Lyons and Colin Keane on trials day at Naas
The filly was a Group One winner at two in the Phoenix Stakes, where she beat Whistlejacket, but had been below that form when beaten in the Cheveley Park and when disappointing on her return to action this season at Cork. Whistlejacket, which had scored on his seasonal debut and was sent off 4/5 favourite, led with two furlongs to go but Babouche (2/1) always looked to be travelling better and Keane's mount soon quicked up to record a two-and-three-quarter-length triumph. 'That's the first time I've seen that this year from her,' said Lyons of his filly which is now 4/1 favourite for the Commwealth Cup at Royal Ascot. 'Now we can go to the Commonwealth and if we get beat, we get beat, but at least we know we are locked and loaded. It's been a good day.' Half an hour earlier, Lady Iman maintained her unbeaten record for Lyons in the Blackbeard Fillies Sprint Stakes. Keane's mount looked to face a stiff task on paper up against Aidan O'Brien's Simply Astounding, a Wootton Bassett filly out of Minding which had been very impressive on her debut. However, the odds-on favourite was one of the first beaten, with Lady Iman chasing down Green Sense inside the final furlong before eventually prevailing by three-parts of a length. She is now 4/1 favourite with Paddy Power for the Albany and the same price for the Queen Mary. 'She came to me with a reputation and she's done everything easy,' said the trainer. The Lyons-Keane hat-trick was initiated by the success of Beckman (7/2) which dented the reputation of 3/10 hotpot Mississippi River in the one-mile handicap by over two lengths. Earlier, Aidan O'Brien got his day off to the ideal start when Charles Darwin justified odds of 1/14 in the Coolmore Stud The Antarctic Race over five furlongs. Having already got off the mark at Navan three weeks ago, Ryan Moore's mount remains the ante-post market leader for Ascot's Norfolk Stakes at 3/1. 'We're very happy, he just needed a nice sharp bit. Obviously the plan is to go to Ascot with him and it was nice to do it on lovely ground,' said O'Brien. 'Hopefully that will have done the job and we'll just look after him between now and then.' Copacabana Sands (18/5) gained compensation for an unlucky run at Leopardstown last time when storming home to claim the Listed Owenstown Stud Stakes over seven furlongs for Michael O'Callaghan. Market leader One Smack Mac made a bold bid from the front but could not resist the winner's final flourish, with Jamie Powell getting his mount up by half a length. Adrian Murray's Bucanero Fuerte bounced back to winning ways and out of retirement with a dominant display in the Sole Power Sprint Stakes. A winner on the same card last year in the Lacken Stakes, he was on a retrieval mission here after finishing unplaced on his final three outings of the season, having been forced to miss Royal Ascot with a problem. Those three defeats did come at the highest level, though, and back down in Group Three company, he was able to dominate. With Lyons' Breeders' Cup winner Magnum Force in the field and looking to give his trainer a four-timer on the card, Bucanero Fuerte looked to face stiff opposition. However, Magnum Force failed to fire and finished last of the seven runners. On the other hand, Bucanero Fuerte, a Group One winner at two, was always going well in the hands of David Eganwho drove the 13/8 favourite to a length and three-quarters success from Powerful Nation.
RTÉ News
18-05-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Charles Darwin shows class in Antarctic Race at Naas
Charles Darwin justified short odds in the Coolmore Stud The Antarctic Race over five furlongs at Naas to stay on course for a trip to Royal Ascot. Debutant Cardiff By The Sea, a 320,000 guineas buy at the breeze-up sales, briefly threatened to make a race of it at the furlong pole, but the 1-14 favourite ultimately sprinted clear to prevail by three and a quarter lengths under Ryan Moore. The son of No Nay Never is a full-brother to Prix Morny and Middle Park victor Blackbeard and was a fourth straight winner of this race for Aidan O'Brien, with subsequent Coventry Stakes scorer River Tiber among the previous trio. Having already got off the mark at Navan three weeks ago, Charles Darwin remains the ante-post market leader for Ascot's Norfolk Stakes next month. "We're very happy, he just needed a nice sharp bit. Obviously the plan is to go to Ascot with him and it was nice to do it on lovely ground," said O'Brien. "Ryan was very happy with him, he's still babyish and I suppose he's been doing everything so easy. Obviously when he goes to Ascot, he won't have much time for learning. "Hopefully that will have done the job and we'll just look after him between now and then." When asked if the Norfolk was the target, he added: "Probably. That could change, it will depend on what the lads want to do, but I'd imagine it's very likely. "Albert Einstein might run next weekend and we always thought he could be a Coventry horse, we thought this could be a Norfolk horse but he needed to learn. He was green and babyish and he has to be just caught hold of today. That's why we were here with him and we're delighted." Copacabana Sands (18-5) gained compensation for an unlucky run at Leopardstown last time when storming home to claim the Listed Owenstown Stud Stakes over seven furlongs for Michael O'Callaghan. Market leader One Smack Mac made a bold bid from the front but could not resist the winner's final flourish, with Jamie Powell getting his mount up by half a length. "Luckily, Jamie manoeuvred his way out," said O'Callaghan. "To be fair to him for riding his first stakes winner, and to be an apprentice still with a claim, he was very cool and gave her a great ride. "He pulled his stick through at the right time when he got out and she's hit the line strong. "She jumped and travelled and everything panned out exactly how he said he wanted to ride her. "It's a huge day for the filly as she has a nice pedigree and now she's broke her maiden in a Listed race. "She's shown that she has ability before now. We only picked her up in February and she's done nothing but go from strength to strength, and improve." One Smack Mac's connections, Ger Lyons and Colin Keane, enjoyed better fortune as Beckman upset odds-on favourite Mississippi River in the Royal Ascot Trials At Naas Handicap, powering past in the latter stages of the mile contest to oblige by two and a half lengths at 7-2. "It was a nice surprise, I was disappointed with the previous one getting his pocket picked. They are very similar horses," said Lyons. "I thought that was a nice effort, I loved how he quickened away when he got the gap. He's a fun horse to have, honest as the day is long, so we'll enjoy him."
