By Tom Frary
As it had 12 months ago, The Curragh's G1 Moyglare Stud Stakes went to Ballydoyle but not to their first string as Precise (Starspangledbanner) emulated Lake Victoria to emerge best of the stable trio under Ronan Whelan. Like Bedtime Story last year, the even-money favourite Composing (Wootton Bassett) cut out the running but faded late, leaving it to Precise and Beautify (Wootton Bassett) to fight out the finish with the former the stronger by 3/4 of a length.
“I didn't jump as cleanly as I would have liked, but she quickened up well,” Whelan said of the G3 Prestige Stakes winner, who was providing Aidan O'Brien with an 11th renewal. “They told me she pricks her ears in front and I was value for a bit more at the line. The way she hit the line, she would probably be better over further.”
This was a straightforward contest, with the only possible slight hard-luck story being the G1 Prix Morny heroine Venetian Sun (Starman) who surrendered her unbeaten record after being snared in the pack when it was time to start winding up. Unlike the winner, she was sheltered from the headwind as a result and ultimately her finishing effort when in the clear was not convincing enough to suggest she would have been much closer. She passed the weakening Composing, ending up 1 3/4 lengths away behind Beautify in third to deny the Ballydoyle one-two-three.
Precise had already gained an automatic berth for the GI John Deere Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf when winning at Goodwood, so this qualifier was a bonus with Del Mar firmly in her sights as it was for last year's winner. “Ronan gave her a beautiful ride and she is growing and maturing all the time. When they are developing like that, you never where they will stop,” O'Brien said. “She got the trip very well and galloped through the line. She loves fast ground, so the Breeders' Cup is definitely an option.”
The Ballydoyle handler admitted to regrets where the favourite is concerned. “I should have put in someone to lead Composing, she had made the running twice before but it wasn't fair to ask her to do it again into that headwind,” he added. “Ronan ended up in probably the perfect position on the winner and was able to control the race from where he was. I'm not disappointed with Composing.”
A HUGE day for Ronan Whelan as rattles off a hat-trick in the Moyglare! pic.twitter.com/z2rkl7xO73
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) September 14, 2025
Pedigree Notes
Precise, who becomes the ninth Group 1 winner for her remarkable sire, is a daughter of Way To My Heart (Galileo) who is a full-sister to three black-type performers headed by the Listed Dee Stakes winner and Irish Derby runner-up Kingfisher. The second dam is the Listed Ruby Stakes scorer and G3 Solonaway Stakes-placed Mystical Lady (Halling), in turn kin to the G3 Leopardstown 2,000 Guineas Trial winner Furner's Green (Dylan Thomas) and the Listed scorer Palace (Fastnet Rock) who produced a pair of Beresford winners by Galileo in High Definition and Innisfree. Descended from Sonic Lady (Nureyev), Way To My Heart also has a yearling colt and filly foal by Wootton Bassett, with the former due to sell at the upcoming Tattersalls October Book 1.
Sunday, Curragh, Ireland
MOYGLARE STUD STAKES-G1, €400,000, Curragh, 9-14, 2yo, f, 7fT, 1:29.13, yl.
1–PRECISE (IRE), 128, f, 2, by Starspangledbanner (Aus)
1st Dam: Way To My Heart (Ire), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Mystical Lady (Ire), by Halling
3rd Dam: Lady Icarus (GB), by Rainbow Quest
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Derrick Smith, Mrs John Magnier, Michael Tabor & Westerberg; B-Whisperview Trading Ltd; T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ronan Whelan. €240,000. Lifetime Record: GSW-Eng, 4-3-1-0, $359,608. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Beautify (Ire), 128, f, 2, Wootton Bassett (GB)–Words (Ire), by Dansili (GB). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. O-Derrick Smith, Mrs John Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Coolmore; T-Aidan O'Brien. €80,000.
3–Venetian Sun (Ire), 128, f, 2, Starman (GB)–Johara (Ire), by Iffraaj (GB). (240,000gns Ylg '24 TATOCT). O-Tony Bloom & Ian McAleavy; B-Tally-Ho Stud; T-Karl Burke. €40,000.
Margins: 3/4, 1 3/4, HD. Odds: 5.50, 9.00, 2.50.
Also Ran: Composing (Ire), Skydance (GB), Pivotal Attack (GB), Suzie Songs (Ire).
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