Highfield Princess heads a field of 19 declared for the Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai Flying Five Stakes (G1), one of two “Win and You're In” races Sunday, the final day of the Longines Irish Champions Weekend at the Curragh.
The Flying Five Stakes offers an automatic starting position into the $1-million Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1), while the winner of the Moyglare Stud Stakes (G1) earns a free spot into the $1- million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) both in November at Keeneland.
The Trainers House Enterprises Limited-owned 5-year-old Highfield Princess, who has already secured an automatic entry into the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint having won another Challenge Series race, the Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes (G1) at York in her most recent start, is chasing a hat-trick of wins in Group 1 company having also won the Arc Prix Maurice de Gheest (G1) at Deauville on August 7.
The daughter of Night Of Thunder has shown a phenomenal rate of improvement over the last two years, and trainer John Quinn is in no doubt about the esteem he holds his stable star in.
“This is the best horse we've ever had,” Quinn said. “We've been lucky to have top-class Flat horses and a few top-class jumpers as well, but she's the best. She's a phenomenal filly. These Group 1 races, they're hard races to win and the rain is after coming and there are a few horses in there that will appreciate the ease in the ground. We just want to get her down to the start on Sunday and take it from there.”
Other contenders include Clipper Logistics Group-owned Romantic Proposal, who won last year's renewal of this race by a half-length. She has won six of her 20 career starts for trainer Edward Lynam and is a three-time course winner at The Curragh.
The 6-year-old mare beat two-time Group 1 winner A Case Of You when successful in this contest 12 months ago, and the stars are set to renew the rivalry once again.
A Case Of You, trained by Adrian McGuinness, hasn't been seen since finishing 17th at Royal Ascot in the Platinum Jubilee Stakes (G1) but had previously finished third behind Brad The Brief (GB) over this course and distance in the Weatherbys Ireland Greenlands Stakes (G2) and earlier in the year won the Al Quoz Sprint (G1) at Meydan, Dubai.
The improving Mark Dobbin-owned Ladies Church beat Mooniesta by a short-head in the Barberstown Castle Sapphire Stakes (G2) over this course and distance last time out, on July 16. The race also featured Castle Star, Brostaigh, Geocentric, and New York City, who all line up on Sunday.
The other British-trained contenders include The Horse Watchers-owned Raasel, who defeated Dragon Symbol in the Betfred Nifty Fifty Achilles Stakes (listed) at Haydock in May. Meanwhile, Group 3 winner Flotus has been declared for Simon and Ed Crisford along with the Clive Cox-trained Caturra, who finished a fine third behind Khaadem in the King George Qatar Stakes (G3) at Glorious Goodwood.
Meditate Looking to Stretch Perfect Record in Moyglare Stud Stakes
The exciting Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier, and Westerberg-owned Meditate will face 11 rivals in her bid to secure a first career Group 1 success in the Moyglare Stud Stakes (G1) on Sunday. The winner of this race, run at seven furlongs, will earn an automatic starting position and fees paid into this year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1).
The daughter of No Nay Never has won each of her four career starts impressively, including the Albany Stakes (G3) at Royal Ascot, where she beat Sydneyarms Chelsea, and the Alpha Centauri Debutante Stakes (G2) where Thornbrook and Gan Teorainn were among her rivals.
Her trainer, Aidan O'Brien, is also bidding to reach a milestone of his own and register a record 10th win in this race. No trainer has won more renewals of the contest, and he is doubly represented here, with Group 3 winner Never Ending Story also lining up.
The main danger to the Ballydoyle contingent may come from His Highness the Aga Khan's once-raced 5 ½-length maiden winner Tahiyra. Trainer Dermot Weld hasn't won this race since 1987 when he trained Flutter Away to win for Oliver Murphy.
There hasn't been an English-trained winner of the Moyglare Stud Stakes since 2014, and while Sydneyarms Chelsea, trained in Lambourn by Charles Hills, will try and reverse form over Meditate, the Gallop Racing-owned Lakota Sioux will also make the trip over from for Charlie & Mark Johnston. The daughter of Sioux Nation won the Jewson Sweet Solera Stakes (G3) by three-quarters of a length last time out.
Shelton and Eternal Silence were second and third, respectively, in the Newtownanner Stud Irish EBF Stakes (G3) last time over 1 mile at this track, a race which also featured La Dolce Vita.
The 12-runner field is completed by Amazing Show, the mount of Ireland's champion jockey Colin Keane, and Papilio, runner-up in a listed race at Tipperary last time out.
As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for the winners of the Challenge Series winners to start at this year's Breeders' Cup World Championships. Breeders' Cup will also provide a $40,000 travel allowance for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships. The Challenge winner must be nominated to the Breeders' Cup program by the Championships' pre-entry deadline of Oct. 24 to receive the rewards.
The Breeders' Cup Challenge Series is an international series of 82 stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, which will be held at Keeneland in Lexington on Nov. 4-5.
The post Highfield Princess, Unbeaten Meditate Headline Pair Of ‘Win And You’re In’ Stakes Sunday At The Curragh appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
