New flat fixtures
NAVAN and Naas have been handed additional flat meetings. Navan will stage an afternoon card on Wednesday, June 6th, and Naas will host an evening card on Monday, June 18th. Shane Doyle of Horse Racing Ireland explained: “There have been big entries for flat races in recent weeks now the the ground has improved. The Naas card was needed in particular to accommodate a listed five-furlong race from Cork, where the sprint track is being upgraded but is not yet ready for racing. Both Naas and Navan also lost fixtures earlier in the year.”
Elarqam bound for the Curragh
ELARQAM looks likely to pose the main threat to trainer Aidan O’Brien’s hopes to win the Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas next Saturday.
Trained by Mark Johnston, Elarqam finished fourth behind Saxon Warrior in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, a neck ahead of this week’s Dante Stakes winner Roaring Lion. Elarqam is a son of Frankel and dual 1000 Guineas winner Attraction.
The 2/1 ante-post favourite for the Irish 2000 Guineas is O’Brien’s Newmarket sixth Gustav Klimt. Dermot Weld’s Imaging and Fozzy Stack’s Zihba are other leading contenders.
Roger Varian’s Defoe is expected to run in Sunday’s Tattersalls Gold Cup, a card which includes the Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas. Among the original entries for the classic was Contingent, a Frankel filly trained by Dermot Weld for Khalid Abdullah to win at Leoparstown last year. The filly suffered a fatal injury on the gallops last week.
Tommy Wade laid to rest
TOMMY Wade, one of Ireland’s most accomplished horsemen, died this week. He was 80. An international show jumper in the 1950s and 60s, he later became a prominent trader of National Hunt stores. Operating from Gatterstown Stud near Cashel in Co Tipperary, with his sons Robert and Ronan, he was a regular fixture on the sales circuit. The 2011 Cheltenham Festival winner Brindisi Breeze was owned by the Wades when he won his point-to-point for handler Pat Doyle. See more on pages A21 and A52.
Murphy retires
TIMMY Murphy announced his retirement from the saddle following a winner at Chepstow on Tuesday evening. The 43-year-old from Kildare was a champion novice point-to-point rider before turning professional. His most famous victory came when partnering Comply Or Die to win the 2008 Grand National for David Pipe. He also rode Beef Or Salmon to win two Grade 1 chases for trainer Michael Hourigan. Murphy switched codes to the flat in 2015 following a prolonged period on the sidelines and has had over 1,000 mounts on the flat in the past three years. He plans to expand his own livery yard business while also working for trainer Richard Hannon.
Cruel move
NAAS maiden winner Katie Cruel will continue her career in the USA. The two-year-old filly was bought privately by Phoenix Thoroughbreds after winning for trainer Alan Fleming in March. A spokesperson for Phoenix said: “We don’t yet have any horses in training in Ireland but we remain on the lookout for suitable horses and there is every chance they could be left with the original trainer.”
Goodwood sale
GOFFS UK will stage a boutique sale at Goodwood Racecourse on Wednesday, August 1st. Similar to the Goffs London Sale, the Goodwood auction is timed to accommodate international clients who attend the ‘Glorious’ meeting. In particular Goffs believe the sale will suit those who are looking for horses to race in Hong Kong, the Middle East and the Melbourne Spring Carnival.