Curragh Racecourse

Juddmonte's Babouche (GB) (Kodiac {GB}--Pavlosk, by Arch) attained 'TDN Rising Star' status with a five-length rout going six furlongs at Cork in her June 14 unveiling and stepped forward to justify 13-8 favouritism in Sunday's G3 Jebel Ali Racecourse & Stables Anglesey Stakes at the Curragh. The Ger Lyons trainee was bumped at the break and raced three lengths off the leader as Treasure Isle (Ire) (No Nay Never) set a searching tempo up front. Powering forward once past halfway, she was shaken up to launch her challenge approaching the...

Highclere Throughbred Racing's Believing (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}--Misfortunate {Ire}, by Kodiac {GB}), successful in last term's G3 Prix Texanita, finished just off the board in Royal Ascot's G1 King Charles III Stakes and G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubliee Stakes last month and regained the winning thread with a decisive victory in Saturday's G2 Barberstown Castle Sapphire Stakes at the Curragh. Believing was alert from the gates and raced fifth, within range of the pace, through halfway in this straight dash. Shaken up with a quarter-mile remaining, the even-money favourite quickened to...

TDN Rising Star Sea The Stars (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) suffered his lone career defeat when fourth in the 2008 renewal of the Curragh's Juddmonte Chaldean Irish EBF Maiden and his son The Lion In Winter (Ire), a €375,000 Goffs Orby yearling, restored family honour in the seven-furlong contest by delivering a stunning closing burst to earn a 'TDN Rising Star' rosette of his own in this year's edition. The 11-2 chance tracked the leaders from off the pace, racing eighth, through the early stages of this debut. Cajoled closer...

Ballydoyle representative Henri Matisse (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}--Immortal Verse {Ire}, by Pivotal {GB}) finished the right side of a short-head verdict tackling six furlongs at the Curragh in May and pounced late over the same course and distance to garner a record-equalling 14th renewal of Sunday's G2 GAIN Railway Stakes for Aidan O'Brien. The victory moved O'Brien alongside legendary former Ballydoyle incumbent Vincent O'Brien on the honours board. The Aug. 10 G1 Phoenix Stakes and Sept. 15 G1 Vincent O'Brien National Stakes entry was sluggish from the traps and trailed...

Day two of the Curragh's Irish Guineas Festival concluded with a bang when Coolmore and Westerberg's hithero unraced 3-year-old colt Jan Brueghel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}--Devoted To You {Ire}, by Danehill Dancer {Ire}) outclassed nine rivals in imperious fashion to garner the €20,000 McDonnells Bar Newbridge Irish EBF Maiden and a 'TDN Rising Star' rosette. He becomes the 43rd Rising Star for the Coolmore icon. The June 21 G2 King Edward VII and June 30 G1 Irish Derby entry was swiftly away and raced in a close-up second through halfway in...

Aidan O'Brien trainee Whistlejacket (Ire) (No Nay Never--Adventure Seeker {Fr}, by Bering {GB}) debuted with a runner-up finish in an Apr. 21 six-furlong maiden at the Curragh and made no mistake dropped down in trip for Monday's Listed GAIN First Flier S. back at the Co. Kildare venue. Sharply into stride to race on the front end from flagfall in this black-type bow, the 500,000gns Tattersalls Book 1 graduate was shaken up soon after passing the quarter-mile pole and surged clear under continued urging inside the final furlong to easily...

Al Basti Equiworld Dubai has strengthened its partnership with the Curragh Racecourse by putting its name to a variety of races staged at the track throughout the year, including the launch of the inaugural Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Future Champion Jockeys Series. The Listed Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Orby S. will carry prize-money of €45,000 when it takes place on the same programme as the G1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas on Saturday, May 25, while the €100,000 G3 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai International S. will be staged on day two...

Ballydoyle second string Content (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}--Mecca's Angel {Ire}, by Dark Angel {Ire}), sent to post as an unconsidered 20-1 chance returning off a sub-par sixth in last month's G3 Weld Park S., stepped forward in style to claim a first stakes triumph in Saturday's G3 Staffordstown Stud S. at the Curragh. The May-foaled bay, who ran second behind the reopposing Kitty Rose (GB) (Invincible Army {Ire}) in Leopardstown's Listed Ingabelle S. on Irish Champions weekend, was the last of 10 into stride and raced under wraps in rear through...

Noel Meade trainee Caught U Looking (Ire) (Harzand {Ire}--Wild Mix {GB}, by Mastercraftsman {Ire}) posted an impressive five-length tally when shedding maiden status at Leopardstown in July and made a smooth transition to black-type company with a landmark success in an attritional renewal of Sunday's G3 Weld Park S. at the Curragh. The 4-1 chance broke smartly from the outside stall and raced without cover in fifth through the initial fractions of this third start at the seven-furlong trip. Inching closer to the leading duo from halfway, she came under...

Saturday's Bord Na Mona Recycling Irish EBF Maiden at the Curragh has been a springboard to success in the G1 Vincent O'Brien National S. for Al Riffa (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) and Thunder Moon (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), who annexed two of the last three editions. This year's renewal witnessed the emergence of another potential candidate after Aidan O'Brien trainee Diego Velazquez (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) romped to 'TDN Rising Stardom' in the seven-furlong contest. He had already caused a stir at Newmarket last October, when knocked down for 2.4-million guineas at...

Michael O'Callaghan trainee Kairyu (Ire) (Kuroshio {Aus}--Vegatina {GB}, by Lope De Vega {Ire}) was the clear-cut winner of a five-furlong Naas maiden last month and franked the promise of that debut score with an upset win upped in trip for Saturday's G3 Jebel Ali Racecourse And Stables Anglesey S. at the Curragh. Kairyu employed patient tactics from flagfall and lobbed along off the pace in sixth through the early fractions. Making smooth headway once past halfway, the 4-1 chance quickened beyond rivals to seize control approaching the final furlong and...

Aidan O'Brien had annexed six of the last 10 renewals of the Curragh's Juddmonte Irish EBF Maiden, among them 2013 winner Australia (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), and he claimed Saturday's latest edition with Henry Longfellow (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who collected a 'TDN Rising Star' rosette with a taking performance in the seven-furlong test. The eventual winner was steadily away and raced in a close-up third initially and eased into second approaching halfway. Hitting the front soon after passing the quarter-mile marker, the well-backed 5-4 favourite was never seriously threatened thereafter and...