Curragh Racecourse

The Curragh Racecourse has announced details of a new partnership with Churchill Tyres, marking the beginning of a collaboration that will see the company become the title sponsor of the G2 Beresford Stakes for the next three years. Won in recent years by the subsequent Group 1 winners Luxembourg (2021), Hotazhell (2024) and Hawk Mountain (2025), the Churchill Tyres Beresford Stakes will take place on Saturday, September 26. As part of the partnership, the breeder of the winner will receive a free nomination to the Tally-Ho Stud stallion Maranoa Charlie,...

Epsom's G1 Derby hero Christmas Day (Camelot) will face seven rivals in Sunday's G1 Irish Derby at the Curragh after declarations were confirmed Thursday morning. The Aidan O'Brien trainee will depart from stall six, with the last winner to have emerged from that draw being Hurricane Run (Montjeu) in 2005. He will be partnered once again by Ronan Whelan and accompanied by stablemates Benvenuto Cellini (Frankel), controversially announced as a non-runner at Epsom and the selection of Ryan Moore, Pierre Bonnard (Camelot) and Action (Frankel). They have drawn stalls eight,...

Shapoor Mistry's G1 Oaks heroine Thundering On (Frankel) will face nine rivals in Saturday's G1 Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh after declarations for the Paddy Power-sponsored 10-furlong contest were confirmed Thursday morning. The Joseph O'Brien trainee will depart from stall seven, which also housed last year's victrix Whirl (Wootton Bassett) and Mistry's O'Brien-trained 2021 winner Thundering Nights (Night Of Thunder). She will be partnered by Dylan Browne McMonagle and accompanied by Carriganog stablemates Wemightakedlongway (Australia), runner-up in last year's G1 Irish Oaks, and Nyra (Isfahan), who ran third in...

Aidan O'Brien trainee Sun Goddess (Sioux Nation) shaped with a deal of promise at Naas two weeks ago and made a giant leap forward with a visually stunning TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard, performance in Sunday's Revamp Conservation And Restoration Irish EBF Fillies Maiden at the Curragh. "She had a lovely run the first day and we got her out [at Naas] in case she was an Ascot filly," the trainer explained. "She ran so well [on debut] and that is why she is back here. She could be...

The John Oxley-owned Star Prospect (Starman), Joseph O'Brien's first juvenile runner of the year, made a stylish winning debut in Sunday's Arizona Blaze Standing At The Irish National Stud Irish EBF Race at the Curragh. "He had been showing plenty of natural speed at home and it's always nice when your first two-year-old runner runs well," said O'Brien. "He was green enough and off the bridle, but I thought he was very impressive to the line. It's all speed and I don't think he'd be going further than five [furlongs]...

Westerberg and Coolmore's Sugar Island (Dubawi) was a well-beaten ninth of 10 in this month's G1 Fillies' Mile and bounced back in style to make all for an impressive success in Tuesday's one-mile G3 Staffordstown Stud Stakes, formerly known as the Silken Glider Stakes, at the Curragh. The win extended Aidan O'Brien's record haul in the contest to 13. "She's a big, galloping filly who stays very well and Wayne [Lordan] gave her a lovely ride," commented Ballydoyle's Chris Armstrong. "She had a very good run at Doncaster in a...

The Curragh's Group 1 bonanza on day two of Irish Champions Weekend has attracted an aggregate 38 declarations after final fields for the track's four elite-level contests were confirmed Friday morning. Illinois (Galileo), with Christophe Soumillon booked to ride, is one of two Aidan O'Brien entries, the other being Queenstown (Galileo), and heads a field of nine in the G1 Comer Group International Irish St Leger. The undefeated G2 King Edward VII Stakes victor Amiloc (Postponed) is one of three overseas nominees. Ballydoyle has three of the six runners, headed...

Coolmore's True Love (No Nay Never) shed maiden status in last month's G2 Queen Mary Stakes and overpowered three colts to become the first filly since Eva Luna in 1994 to annex Saturday's G2 GAIN Railway Stakes at the Curragh. "She's fast so we weren't sure she'd get six [furlongs], I suppose we were finding out a little bit about her really, and we couldn't be happier with her," commented O'Brien. "She was a Queen Mary winner so it was very hard for Ryan [Moore] not to ride her." Looking...

Aidan O'Brien had annexed six of the last 10 renewals of the Curragh's Juddmonte Chaldean Irish EBF Maiden, including with The Lion In Winter last year, and added another to his resume when the once-raced New Zealand (Frankel) led home a stable trifecta in this year's edition. "He's a lovely big horse, but he hasn't a clue what he's doing yet," said O'Brien. "He's massive, with the power and the size of him, and we'll go gentle and let him come on. He learned a lot from the first day,...

Aidan O'Brien trainee Lambourn (Australia) was afforded the freedom of Epsom when making all for a wide-margin triumph in the G1 Derby and, prevented from enjoying a moment's relief in Sunday's Irish equivalent at the Curragh, was all heart in becoming the 20th horse to complete the Classic double. He found plenty, and then some, under Ryan Moore's forceful urgings inside final half-mile to provide the Ballydoyle maestro with a record-extending 17th, and third straight, success in the race. "He's a very straightforward horse that gets the trip well," said...

Coolmore's Derby hero Lambourn (Australia) will renew rivalry with Epsom second and third, Lazy Griff (Protectionist) and Tennessee Stud (Wootton Bassett), and heads a field of 10 declared runners for Sunday's €1.25-million G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby. He is one of five contenders set to represent Aidan O'Brien and has been allocated stall five. Lazy Griff is alongside in four while Tennessee Stud is on the wing in stall 10. The Ralph Beckett-conditioned G2 Dante Stakes winner Pride Of Arras (New Bay) is the only other Epsom runner backing...

The Curragh Racecourse launched its brand-new sensory room during the Tattersalls Irish Guineas Weekend, marking a milestone as it became the first racecourse in Ireland to offer a permanent, purpose-built space designed to support neurodivergent children and their families. The development of the sensory room was made possible with the support of many, including jockey William Buick and his wife, Jane, along with Autism in Racing founder Bobby Beevers. It will allow the Curragh to provide a calm, safe and inclusive environment, where individuals with sensory processing needs can take...