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County Kildare's most famous stage is set for the return of classic racing at the Curragh this weekend with both the Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas and Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas set to be memorable renewals.
For the third time in four years, the English 2,000 Guineas runner-up will seek redemption in the opening Irish Classic of the season on Saturday as John and Thady Gosden's Field Of Gold heads the Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas line-up.
Ireland's champion jockey Colin Keane has been booked to take the ride on the Juddmonte-owned colt, who narrowly lost out to Ruling Court at Newmarket having previously stamped his authority in the Group 3 Craven Stakes last month.
There has been 11 British-trained winners of the Irish 2,000 Guineas so far this century and potentially joining Field Of Gold from across the sea are another Juddmonte-owned duo of Cosmic Year and Windlord, while Brian Meehan’s Greenham Stakes runner-up Rashabar also features in the 12-strong field.
Champion trainer Aidan O'Brien relied solely on Expanded in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket but on Saturday that colt could be flanked by stable companions Serengeti, Trinity College and the two-time Curragh winner Officer.
Officer landed the Coolmore Stud Irish EBF Tetrarch Stakes just over a fortnight ago and the runner-up on that occasion, Currawood, will once again reoppose for Paddy Twomey.
Family affair
O’Brien’s sons, Joseph and Donnacha are both set to be represented in Saturday’s Classic. Joseph O’Brien won the race on three consecutive occasions on Roderic O’Connor, Power and Magician as a jockey and Scorthy Champ is his sole runner as a trainer this time around. Donnacha O’Brien’s Comanche Brave will seek to go one better than his seasonal debut in a Group 3 at Leopardstown back in March.
Course and distance winner Hotazhell claimed the Beresford Stakes at the Curragh last season and went on to win the Group 1 Futurity Trophy Stakes at Doncaster at the end of last season marking him up as a colt with massive Classic credentials.
Jessica Harrington’s charge had to miss his engagement in the French 2,000 Guineas earlier this month but will now return to the Curragh for his first outing this year in a bid to give his legendary trainer a first win in the race.
Saturday’s nine-race card also features the Group 2 Weatherbys Ireland Greenlands Stakes which has gone for export since 2022 but this year features a fascinating Ballydoyle entry in Storm Boy.
The four-year-old is set to have his first start for Aidan O’Brien having joined from the leading Australian duo of Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.
Last year’s winning trainer Charlie Hills will this time send over Iberian after claiming the race 12-months ago with Mitbaahy.
A typically strong British-representation in the six-furlong contest includes the Kevin Ryan-trained Grand Grey, Karl Burke’s Lethal Levi, James’s Delight for Clive Cox and the Richard Hughes-trained No Half Measures.
Fire power for Weld
Saturday’s action gets underway at 1.20pm and also features the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Orby Stakes in which Dermot Weld looks to have a strong hand with Elizabeth Jane and Romzina.
In Sunday’s showpiece Weld will be hoping to land yet another Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas as Swelter aims to maintain her unbeaten record. In what could be a massive weekend for the Juddmonte team, Swelter will arrive at the Curragh on Sunday having impressed in the Group 3 Ballylinch Stud Priory Belle Stakes at Leopardstown back in March
A total of 14 fillies remain in Sunday’s showpiece event and the Donnacha O’Brien-trained Atsila and the Paddy Twomey-trained City Of Memhis were both supplemented into the race this afternoon.
O’Brien’s Atsila backed up a Bellewstown maiden win to land the Group 3 Coolmore Auguste Rodin EBF Athasi Stakes at the Curragh earlier this month, while City Of Memphis was a very impressive winner of a Cork maiden two weeks ago.
The Newmarket Guineas form could be to the fore once again just like Saturday’s race as the second and third placed fillies from the English 1,000 Guineas have both been left in by trainer Ollie Sangster.
Flight and Simmering had to settle for minor honours behind Desert Flower at Newmarket but the pair are on course to attempt to give Sangster a first Irish Classic triumph having previously had just one runner on these shores since taking out his licence in 2023.
Bedtime Story, Exactly, January and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Lake Victoria make up the Aidan O’Brien contingent for Sunday’s feature.
Lake Victoria was unbeaten before finishing sixth in the Irish 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket with those wins including the Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh.
The Adrian Murray-trained duo of California Dreamer and Jaliyah have been left in by the Westmeath-based trainer, while Joe Murphy’s Cercene, Archie Watson’s Duty First, and the Eoghan O’Neill-trained Tamam Desert complete the potential line-up.
White Birch retaining the Cup
Last year’s winner White Birch is among a dozen entries that have stood their ground for the Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup which includes English Champion Stakes winner Anmaat.
The talented grey is the stable star of trainer John Murphy and the three-time course and distance winner was a narrow runner-up behind Los Angeles in the Group 2 Coolmore Irish EBF Mooresbridge Stakes last time out.
Los Angeles is likely to head the field for Aidan O’Brien who has also included Continuous, while the Joseph O’Brien-trained Al Riffa is another fascinating entry.
The five British-trained entries add even further depth to Sunday’s Tattersalls Gold Cup, most notably Anmaat, who caused a shock to win the Champion Stakes for Owen Burrows, and also the Andrew Balding-trained Kalpana who won the Group 1 British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot on the same card.
The GAIN Marble Hill Stakes has once again attracted some promising juveniles with six previous winners in the field, including the highly regard Albert Einstein for Aidan O’Brien.
The Group 2 Lanwades Stud Stakes has attracted 11 entries, including Donnacha O’Brien’s Group 1 performer Porta Fortuna and the previous Goffs Million winner One Look for Paddy Twomey.
Click here to view entries for Friday 23rd May
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