Curragh Racecourse

Justify's Aspen Grove Shocks The Flame Of Tara

Craig Bernick's twice-raced maiden Aspen Grove (Ire) (Justify--Data Dependent, by More Than Ready) went postward as an unconsidered 66-1 outsider for Saturday's G3 Newtownanner Stud Irish EBF S. at the Curragh and pounced late in the one-mile former Flame Of Tara S. to secure a first win of any kind. The January-foaled bay debuted with a fifth over six furlongs at the Co. Kildare venue in May, but slipped to 12th when upped to seven at the same track in June last time. The eventual winner settled off the pace...

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Continuous A First Winner In Ireland For Heart's Cry

2nd-Curragh, €16,500, Mdn, 8-20, 2yo, 7fT, 1:24.70, gd. CONTINUOUS (JPN) (c, 2, Heart's Cry {Jpn}--Fluff {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) broke well and led after the initial strides of this first go. Rowed along with three furlongs remaining, the 10-3 pick came under sterner urging inside the final quarter mile and was driven out in the closing stages to hold King Of Scotia (Ire) (Kessaar {Ire}) by an ultimately snug 1 1/2 lengths, becoming the first winner in Ireland for his sire (by Sunday Silence). "Ryan [Moore] was very happy with...

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Night Of Thunder's Mauiewowie Edges Curragh Thriller

Eleanora Kennedy's 2-year-old filly Mauiewowie (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}--La Chapelle {Ire}, by Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) made it two wins from three starts, and a career high, when annexing Saturday's Listed Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club Curragh S. over five furlongs. In a strong renewal, the 7-4 favourite prevailed by a short head from familiar rival Treasure Trove (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}), with Listed Prix La Fleche runner-up Funny Money Honey (Ire) (Bungle Inthejungle {GB}) a further 2 1/2 lengths adrift in third. Saturday, Curragh, Ireland QATAR RACING & EQUESTRIAN...

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Luxembourg Back On Top In Curragh Comeback

It may not have been the wide-margin success prohibitive odds of 2-9 might have implied beforehand, but Westerberg and Coolmore's G1 Futurity Trophy hero and G1 2000 Guineas third Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}--Attire {Ire}, by Danehill Dancer {Ire}) was on the comeback trail from his storied muscular woes in Saturday's G3 Fitzdares Royal Whip S. at the Curragh and not only proved his wellbeing, but much, much more with an impressively game performance in the card's 10-furlong feature. The day's star attraction was allowed find his own rhythm and stalked...

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Breeders' Cup Mile Hero On Top At The Curragh

Winless in five starts since annexing last year's edition of the Curragh's G2 Romanised Minstrel S., 2020's GI Breeders' Cup Mile hero Order Of Australia (Ire) (Australia {GB}--Senta's Dream {GB}, by Danehill) repeated the dose with a 3 1/2-length triumph in Sunday's latest renewal of the seven-furlong contest at the Co. Kildare venue. The 5-year-old entire, who also hit the board in last term's G1 Prix Jacques Le Marois and G1 Prix du Moulin, arrived for this defence coming back off a third in last month's G1 Queen Anne S....

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Churchill's Ladies Church Snags G2 Sapphire S. On The Line

Mark Dobbin's 3-year-old filly Ladies Church (GB) (Churchill {Ire}--Rioticism {Fr}, by Rio De La Plata) saluted in last term's Listed Marwell S. and hit the board in three subsequent black-type starts. She went postward for Saturday's five-furlong G3 Barberstown Castle Sapphire S. at the Curragh as a 12-1 chance coming back off a close-up 10th in Royal Ascot's June 17 Palace of Holyroodhouse H. and secured a last-gasp win for a career high. Comfortable in mid division through halfway, the eventual winner had eased into contention when shaken up approaching...

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Galileo's Magical Lagoon Resilient In Irish Oaks Triumph

Yuesheng Zhang's Magical Lagoon (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}--Night Lagoon {Ger}, by Lagunas {GB}) displayed a willing attitude when annexing last month's G2 Ribblesdale S. at Royal Ascot and her determination was to the fore again as she refused to yield and battled gamely to a career high in Saturday's G1 Juddmonte Irish Oaks at the Curragh. Last term's G3 Flame of Tara S. victrix went off as the 5-4 favourite, in the absence of Epsom's G1 Oaks exacta Tuesday (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), and...

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Frankel's Hans Andersen Powers To Rising Stardom In Ireland

Westerberg and Coolmore's 450,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 yearling Hans Andersen (GB) (Frankel {GB}--Shadow Hunter {Ire}, by Arcano {Ire}) gained much benefit for his debut run, tackling an extended seven furlongs at Tipperary last month, and earned a 'TDN Rising Star' badge with a dominant display down to seven furlongs for Saturday's Juddmonte Farms Expert Eye Irish EBF (C&G) Maiden at the Curragh. The 10-11 favourite was sharply into stride to gain immediate control. Nudged along when the pack threatened approaching the quarter-mile marker, he held a comfortable buffer entering...

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Oaks Heroine Tuesday To Skip Irish Classic

Eight fillies will head postward for Saturday's G1 Juddmonte Irish Oaks following Thursday morning's confirmation of final declarations for the €500,000 Classic. The Co. Kildare venue will be denied the opportunity of a rematch between Epsom's G1 Oaks first and second, Tuesday (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), with the former being the highest-profile absentee from the select field. Aidan O'Brien will instead rely on Toy (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}, who is set to be partnered by Ryan Moore, Wayne Lordan's mount History (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}...

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Justify's Statuette Goes Two-For-Two After Curragh Triumph

Kept at home as Meditate (Ire) (No Nay Never) went to Royal Ascot, TDN Rising Star Statuette (Justify--Immortal Verse {Ire}, by Pivotal {GB}) was able to comfortably follow her stablemate's lead by taking Sunday's G2 Airlie Stud S. at The Curragh. Already the focus of attention on breeding, the chestnut put fuel on the fire with a fluent win on debut over an extended five furlongs at Navan May 28 and travelled easily throughout the early stages of this six-furlong contest formerly known as the Balanchine. Asked to take closer...

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Galileo's Aikhal Surges To International Success

Aidan O'Brien trainee Aikhal (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}--Diamond Fields {Ire}, by Fastnet Rock {Aus}), who ran fourth in last term's G3 Autumn S. and G1 Criterium International, came back off a 234-day sabbatical to finish last of 11 in this month's G1 St James's Palace S. at Royal Ascot and bounced back in style to register a career high in Saturday's G3 ARM Holding International S. on the G1 Irish Derby undercard. Stalking the pace in second until sent to the fore approaching the quarter-mile pole, the 20-1 chance quickened in...

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Eight Declared For Saturday's G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby

Overnight contenders for Saturday's G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish were reduced by half, leaving eight declared for the Curragh's €1,000,000 12-furlong Classic. Aidan O'Brien took the most drastic measures and reduced his team of six to just one with G1 Cazoo Oaks heroine Tuesday (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) set to depart from stall one in her bid to become the first filly to prevail since Balanchine (Storm Bird) in 1994. Her chief rival, Juddmonte's G1 Cazoo Derby third Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}), has drawn stall five.

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