Curragh Racecourse

Al Shaqab Racing and Trevor Stewart's 2-year-old colt Andab (Saxon Warrior), a full-brother to GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf hero Victoria Road, made a winning debut in Monday's Irish EBF Median Sires Series Maiden over six furlong at the Curragh. Let go at odds of 8-1, he pulled clear in the closing stages to register an impressive 4 3/4-length success.   👀 Andab (Saxon Warrior) is a brother to @BreedersCup Juvenile winner Victoria Road and makes a very likeable start in the @AlShaqabRacing silks for the @JosephOBrien2 team @curraghrace |...

Ger Lyons trainee Lady Iman (Starman) lined up as unbeaten winner-of-one for Monday's Listed Holden Plant Rentals First Flier Stakes and continued her winning streak to provide her freshman sire with a breakthrough stakes winner at the Curragh. The crowd's 4-7 selection, fresh off a Mar. 28 maiden win at Dundalk, broke swiftly and raced in a close-up fourth through the early stages of this five-furlong contest. Going well on the bridle when slipping one position passing the quarter-mile marker, she eased through a gap to lead with 100 yards...

Coolmore's Heavens Gate (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}--Itqaan, by Danzig), with a half-dozen prior outings under her belt, was the most experienced of nine contenders entering Sunday's G3 Weld Park Stakes at the Curragh and her ringcraft was a telling factor  in the seven-furlong contest as she delivered a display of power to claim a career high. She had previously hit the board in the G3 Albany Stakes and G2 Duchess of Cambridge Stakes and annexed a valuable pot at Naas in her penultimate start before running fourth in York's G2 Lowther...

Joseph O'Brien trainee Apples And Bananas (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}--Simannka {Ire}, by Mastercraftsman {Ire}), fresh off a black-type breakthrough in last month's Listed Criterium du Fonds Europeen de l'Elevage at Deauville, continued on a winning roll with a battling victory in Saturday's Goffs Million at the Curragh. The 5-2 second choice was quickly into stride from the stands' side stall and gained an immediate advantage in this seven-furlong test. Comfortable on the front end until scrubbed along with a quarter-mile remaining, he was tackled by 9-4 favourite Antelope Canyon (Ire)...

Coolmore's Bedtime Story (Ire) (Frankel {GB}--Mecca's Angel {Ire}, by Dark Angel {Ire}) embellished a 'TDN Rising Star' debut performance with wide-margin wins in the Listed Chesham Stakes and G3 Silver Flash and continued her winning streak with a battling display in Saturday's G2 Alpha Centauri Debutante Stakes at the Curragh. Her half-length victory provided trainer Aidan O'Brien with a record-extending 14h triumph in the seven-furlong fillies' test. Bedtime Story was steadied to race fourth through the initial stages and improved one spot approaching halfway. Shaken up when taking closer order...

Aidan O'Brien trainee Officer (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}--Hydrangea {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) justified market support with a snug victory in Saturday's Coolmore Stud The Antarctic Irish EBF Maiden at The Curragh. The eventual winner was positioned in a prominent third after the initial strides of this debut. Rowed along to launch his bid with a quarter-mile remaining, the 7-4 favourite gained an edge approaching the final furlong and kept on strongly in the closing stages to prevail by a half-length from Storm Piece (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}).   🇮🇪 Coolmore...

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...