Latest news with #Newmarket2000Guineas
Irish Examiner
14 hours ago
- Sport
- 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
Irish Examiner
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Classic redemption beckons for Field Of Gold in the Irish 2,000 Guineas
Field Of Gold can earn compensation for his near miss at Newmarket by taking the Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas, the first Irish Classic of the season, on Saturday afternoon at the Curragh. John and Thady Gosden's colt won two of his four outing as a juvenile and was most impressive in the Craven on his return to action. On the back of that, he was sent off favourite for the Newmarket 2000 Guineas but his late charge for glory came up just shy of Ruling Court. He took a little time to find full stride on that occasion but finished off to great effect and there is every chance this track will help bring out the best in him. He probably isn't a mile ahead of the opposition, but his Newmarket effort sets the standard, and he can emulate his sire, Kingman, who won this in 2014. Scorthy Champ and Expanded were disappointing at Newmarket and there wasn't enough in their efforts to suggest they could improve enough to win this just three weeks later. Hotazhell was a Group 1 winner at two and is interesting on his return to action, while the unbeaten Cosmic Year may carry his head high, but he is a smart sort, worthy of respect. Windlord is one of the outsiders, and third choice of three in the Juddmonte colours, but he can outrun his odds. He isn't entirely straightforward, which he showed when hanging left in the straight at the end of the Classic Trial at Sandown, but he has plenty of ability and if allowed to race prominently and not in a pacemaker role, he could cause an upset. The nap on the card goes to Himalayan Heights in the Tulfarris Hotel And Golf Resort Handicap. Always a smart sort, he looked much improved when winning on his return, after being gelded, and there is every reason to expect further improvement despite him having to run off a career-high mark of 93. In the Group 2 Weatherbys Ireland Greenlands Stakes, Storm Boy is an obvious starting point, but the Australian import is hard to assess. The market will speak volumes with regard to his claims but regardless of which way he trends, Iberian makes plenty of each-way appeal. Unlucky last time, on his first run after wind surgery, the make-up of the race should suit, and he has leading claims. Sunday is Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas day and Aidan O'Brien can claim an 11th win in the race courtesy of Lake Victoria. During her juvenile season, she won three Group 1s, but her trainer admitted from an early stage of this season that it would be a struggle to get her to the Newmarket Guineas. In the end, she managed to turn up there but looked like a filly who badly needed the outing. Beaten just two and a half lengths into sixth place behind Desert Flower, she ran a superb race, and with much improvement expected, she will be hard to beat. Flight, who finished runner-up in Newmarket, seems not to have been given the credit she deserves. She raced in a small group on the near side of the track, away from the group which contained five of the first six home, and ran a huge race to be beaten just a length by Desert Flower. She has the scope to improve further and should not be dismissed lightly. The Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup is a superb race on paper, and it may pay to side with the only filly in the race, Kalpana. The Andrew Balding-trained Juddmonte filly developed rapidly last season, and it culminated in that classy success in the Champion Stakes at Ascot. She is dropping back in trip just a touch but has always shown plenty of pace, so that shouldn't be an inconvenience. There is every reason to expect further progress from the four-year-old and she can prove too sharp for Los Angeles and White Birch.
Irish Times
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Donnacha O'Brien aiming to break Irish classic duck as a trainer with 1000 Guineas hope Atsila
Donnacha O'Brien is set to be double-handed in his attempts to win a first Irish classic as a trainer at the Curragh this weekend. The 26-year-old former champion jockey saddled a classic winner in his first season with a training license after Fancy Blue landed the 2020 French Oaks at Chantilly. During a short but stellar riding career that twice saw him crowned champion jockey, Aidan O'Brien's youngest son memorably landed the 2018 Irish Derby for his brother Joseph on Latrobe. He was also twice successful in the Newmarket 2000 Guineas aboard Saxon Warrior (2018) and Magna Grecia (2019). He also won the Epsom Oaks (2018) on Forever Together. READ MORE Now he's on the classic trail again and plans to have the Athasi Stakes winner Atsila supplemented into the Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas at Tuesday's entry stage. The inexperienced filly only made her debut last month when winning at Bellewstown but subsequently made rapid progress to score at Group Three level at HQ last time out. 'The plan is to supplement her on Tuesday for the 1,000 Guineas. 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,' O'Brien said. He also plans to be represented in Saturday's 2000 Guines through Comanche Brave. He ran Henri Matisse close in a Leopardstown Trial, form that looks outstanding now considering his conqueror went on to French Guineas glory. 'He is working very well and I think he'll probably outrun his odds. He's not a big horse but he's always worked like a very good horse. We're going to give him a chance in the Guineas. 'We could end up going back to seven for the Jersey at Ascot. He's working very well so I'm happy to let him take his chance,' O'Brien commented. The Co Tipperary trainer also plans to bring his star older filly Porta Fortuna back into action at the Curragh's Guineas festival in Sunday's Lanwades Stud Stakes although warned she will strip fitter for the outing. 'She's going to go to the Lanwades. She's in good form. She put on plenty of weight. Everything has gone smooth with her, but she's probably taken a bit longer to get fit this year. 'She's probably going to take the run and then go to Ascot but she's in great form so I'm looking forward to getting her back on track,' he said. In other news, Tuesday's domestic action is in Cork where Paddy Twomey's Royal Entry takes on six three-year-olds in a mile and a half maiden. Runner up at odds on to Queen Of Thunder at Killarney recently, Royal Entry's main threat looks to be Tswalu. She's officially rated 2lbs superior, and didn't have a straightforward passage through her last start at Gowran behind Darzina. Twomey should hold a major chance in the opening two-year-old maiden through Rogue Legend. This one found Oh Cecilia too good on his debut at the track but was well on top of the rest.
Irish Examiner
01-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
O'Brien and Slevin combine for 271-1 double
The Newmarket 2000 Guineas may be foremost on the mind of Joseph O'Brien, with Scorthy Champ a leading contender for Classic honours on Saturday afternoon at Newmarket, but there was business to be tended to at Punchestown, and he and JJ Slevin delivered a 271-1 double. Busselton was first up, in the Mongey Communication La Touche Cup, and in a finish involving two former Kerry National winners, he responded well to Slevin's encouragement to fend off the determined Desertmore House. A race of tradition, which holds a special place in the hearts of the National Hunt community, it meant the world to Slevin to win the race as his father, Shay, won it as trainer of Treo Eile in 2017. It was a much-coveted but delayed success for the rider, who would have ridden 2019 winner Ballyboker Bridge but for sustaining a serious injury in the opening race of that day. 'I've been watching these races for as long as I can remember and it's special to win it,' said the rider. 'I was worried when I saw Desertmore House coming to the last, because I knew how well he had schooled for Martin (Brassil, trainer). They are two good horses to run in a banks race and this is a special race to win. 'It's great to see all the big trainers supporting it and there is a high-quality horse going into it nowadays. You have to jump well and have a bit of ability to win them now.' The O'Brien-Slevin double came up in the listed Close Brothers Irish EBF Mares' Novice Hurdle, in which 33-1 chance Cottesloe Sunshine raced home clear of the fast-finishing Mozzies Sister, with favourite Sixandahalf in third. Recently crowned British champion jumps jockey Sean Bowen was class personified aboard Putapoundinthejar in the Specialist Group Handicap Hurdle. We're used to seeing Tony Martin-trained runners being delivered late, but this was a masterclass. Bowen didn't panic as Battle Of Ridgeway made the best of his way home before the final turn and, after being forced to switch from the rails to five-wide, he engaged top gear and collared the clear leader just strides before the line. Jonjo and AJ O'Neill combined with Richie McLernon to take the Frontline Security Handicap Chase with the JP McManus-owned Petit Tonnere. Late to make his challenge, he collared Dont Go Yet in the closing stages, with the gambled-on Mirazur West in third, having tried to make all the running. Jody McGarvey, who rode the third-placed horse, announced his retirement after the event, calling time on a career which yielded four Grade One successes, the first of which was at this meeting in 2017 when he rode the talented but free-going Great Field to victory in the Ryanair Novice Chase. 'I thought I was going to have the fairytale ending but those two feckers in front of me (Richie McLernon and Philip Donovan) spoiled the party. Look, I still led them all down over the final fence at the Punchestown Festival on my final ride, riding for JP McManus. It was great to do that after riding my first winner for JP too. 'I have a lot to be thankful for. I had my share of injuries, but I got through it and I'm able to retire on my own terms. I've enjoyed it. 'I could have kept going for another couple of years — I didn't want to stop riding — but the opportunities are just getting thin on the ground, and I want to go out while I'm still feeling like I'm riding well. I've ridden a few winners in the last few weeks and enjoyed it. I'm glad that I'm leaving the game without a chip on my shoulder.' Nicky Henderson provided the first two home in the Conway Piling Handicap Hurdle, but it was a reverse of the finishing order in the Pertemps Final at Cheltenham as Jeriko Du Reponet turned around the form with stablemate Doddiethegreat. For rider James Bowen, it was a first in this country, and it completed a family double, his brother Sean's having taken the opener. Alan King saddled a third British-based winner for the day and sixth of the meeting to date when Baron Noir, ridden by Rob James, came home best of all to win the bumper, doing so at the expense of fellow raider El Cairos, who drifted left under pressure in the final furlong.
