Sunday's G3 C.L & M.F Weld Park S. at The Curragh has gone the way of Dermot Weld on five occasions and there is no doubt that the Rosewell House legend would love to usurp the record of seven set by John Oxx in the race run in memory of his late parents Charlie and Marguerite. He has fitted a hood to His Highness The Aga Khan's Eziyra (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) after her latest second to Sea of Grace (Ire) (Born To Sea {Ire}) in the G3 Flame of Tara S. over a mile at this venue Aug. 28, and she appears the one to beat on that evidence. “She seems to be in good form and hopefully the hood will help her,” jockey Pat Smullen said. “The form of her last run there behind John Oxx's filly is good and I'd expect her to run another big race. If the rain comes, I don't think it would inconvenience her too much.”
It is interesting that Charlie Appleby has opted to send Grecian Light (Ire) (Shamardal) across the sea following her second in the G2 May Hill S. over a mile at Doncaster 17 days ago. She appeared to not see out that trip and her trainer said, “It was pleasing to see Grecian Light return to form in the May Hill S. Soft ground is an unknown, but she has done well at home and this gives her a chance to win at group level.”
One from leftfield is Perle de la Mer (Ire) (Born To Sea {Ire}), who scored by 6 1/2 furlongs on debut over this trip at Galway Sept. 5 and trainer Willie McCreery said, “She's been great since she ran and we'll see what she can do. She's always been a straightforward filly and the filly that was second to her in Galway was second again at the Curragh during the week, so it wasn't a bad race. It's a big step up, but there's not a lot else for her before the end of the year and we'll take our chance.”
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