THE Curragh could be set to welcome its first runners from the USA since 1991 as trainer Wesley Ward has entered four horses in the Group 1 Keeneland Phoenix Stakes on August 7th and says he plans to have runners in Ireland.

Ward’s speedy juveniles have become a feature of Royal Ascot in recent years, his winners at that meeting including Jealous Again, No Nay Never, Hootenanny and Acapulco. He also won the Golden Jubilee Stakes last year with older horse Undrafted.

Just this week Ward was on the mark at Ascot’s Wednesday fixture with two-year-old debutante Create A Dream. She is among Ward’s Phoenix entries as is recent Keeneland winner Lady Aurelia whom Ward says is his main Queen Mary Stakes contender.

Ward said of his Curragh entries: “They are four very nice two-year-olds and could all run at Royal Ascot and then we are planning to be represented in the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes. Two very great friends of mine – Rogers Beasley, Keeneland’s Director of Racing, and Paul Shanahan – have both asked me about having runners in Ireland and so I would like to do it.”

Ward added: “It will be something different. Running is one thing but winning is another and winning is what it is all about. I hope the ones we have nominated are good enough and it will just be about having them at the right stage at that time. It’s something we are certainly going to plan for. They train at Keeneland so would go back there after Ascot and then we will see where we are with them with a view to coming to the Curragh.

“Winning this sort of race would be a real feather in my cap. Winning at the Curragh would be something I’d cherish for the rest of my life.”

A former champion jockey in the US, Ward’s training career has gone from strength to strength. Hootenanny gave him a first Breeders’ Cup win in the 2014 Juvenile Turf.

There hasn’t been an American-trained runner at the Curragh since Fourstars All Star, trained in New York by Leo O’Brien, landed the Irish 2000 Guineas in 1991.

The 73-strong entry for the Phoenix Stakes includes 19 trained by Aidan O’Brien, who has won this race 14 times. Leading British-based trainers Saeed bin Suroor, Richard Hannon, Roger Varian, Ed Dunlop, Kevin Ryan, Martyn Meade, Mick Channon, Hugo Palmer and Mark Johnston have all made entries.

There will be free admission for families on the day which will have a ‘Stars N Stripes family raceday’ theme to promote the title sponsorship. Kevin O’Malley, the US Ambassador to Ireland, will be guest of honour.

The feature race was won last year by European champion Air Force Blue. Other recent winners include Holy Roman Emperor, George Washington, Johannesburg, Mastercraftsman, Saoirse Abu and Zoffany.