Aidan O'Brien | Horse Racing Free Tips

Glass Slippers Tries For Second Flying Five Stakes Win At The Curragh

Irish Champions Weekend concludes at The Curragh on Sunday with two Breeders' Cup Challenge “Win and You're In” races headlining the card. The winner of the Group 1 Derrinstown Stud Flying Five Stakes will receive an automatic starting position into the $1 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, and the winner of the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes earns a free spot into the $1 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.

The Breeders' Cup Challenge is an international series of stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into corresponding races of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, which is scheduled to be held at Del Mar racetrack in Del Mar, California, on Nov. 5-6.

Last year the Bearstone Stud-owned Glass Slippers (GB) earned an automatic berth in the G1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint with a victory in the G1 Derrinstown Stud Flying Five Stakes, before following up with success in the Breeders' Cup at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky.

This year, the Kevin Ryan-trained mare, a 5-year-old daughter of Dream Ahead, faces 12 rivals in the five-furlong contest. Tom Eaves, who has ridden the mare in 17 of her 18 starts, will again be in the saddle.

Heading the opposition is the King Power Racing owned 3-year-old filly Winter Power (IRE), who earned an automatic entry into the G1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint with a victory in the Group 1 Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes at York last month.

Trained in Yorkshire, England, by Tim Easterby, the daughter of Bungle Inthejungle (GB) has won six of her last eight starts and will be ridden by former British champion jockey Silvestre De Sousa.

The Archie Watson-trained Dragon Symbol (GB), was first past the post in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup, but was placed second behind the Wesley Ward-trained Campanelle (IRE) following a Stewards' Enquiry, and is another strong contender from Britain.

The 3-year-old was third behind Winter Power in the G1 Nunthorpe Stakes last time out and jockey Oisin Murphy believes the undulating track will suit. Murphy said: “He's been knocking on the door in Group 1 company all season and we're trying to find the key; so hopefully the stiff nature of The Curragh's five furlongs will help. Hopefully, it will bring him and Winter Power closer together. He's in very good shape.”

The Irish-trained contenders include the Jack Davison-trained Mooneista (IRE) who defeated Gustavus Weston (IRE) and Romantic Proposal (IRE) in the Group 2 Paddy Power Sapphire Stakes over course and distance in July.

Homeless Songs out to Preserve Unbeaten Record in Moyglare Stud Stakes

Impressive Leopardstown maiden winner Homeless Songs (IRE) faces seven juvenile fillies as she bids to make it two wins from two starts in the G1 Moyglare Stud Stakes.

Owned by the race sponsors Moyglare Stud Farms and trained by Dermot Weld ― who enjoyed a breakthrough Breeders' Cup success with Tarnawa (IRE) at Keeneland last year ― the daughter of Frankel (GB) defeated subsequent stakes winner Agartha (IRE) by two lengths on debut.

Since finishing second behind Homeless Songs in July, the Joseph O'Brien-trained Agartha (IRE) has gone on to win the Group 3 Frank Conroy Silver Flash Stakes at Leopardstown and the Group 2 Alpha Centauri Debutante Stakes over course and distance last month. The second, third, and seventh-placed horses that day ― Sunset Shiraz (IRE), Discoveries (IRE), and Concert Hall (IRE) ― all take her on again here.

Ireland's champion trainer Aidan O'Brien has won the seven-furlong contest a record nine times and fields two this year with Prettiest (USA), a daughter of Dubawi (IRE), and the mount of Ryan Moore, and Concert Hall, who will be ridden by Seamie Heffernan.

The eight-runner field is completed by the Ger Lyons trained Caidre Go Deo (FR) and big-priced outsider Missing Matron (IRE), trained by Jim Bolger.

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, which will be run at Del Mar. Breeders' Cup will also provide a travel allowance of $40,000 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. 25 to receive the rewards.

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Siyouni’s St Mark’s Basilica Prevails in Irish Champion Thriller

Saturday's G1 Irish Champion S. at Leopardstown may have been short on quantity, but was certainly not lacking in quality as Coolmore's St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) maintained his winning streak at the highest level with a fifth such triumph in a thrilling finale to the €1,000,000 10-furlong contest. Backing up a juvenile high in Newmarket's G1 Dewhurst S., the 3-year-old bay has carried all before him during a banner sophomore campaign, which has also witnessed victories in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains, G1 Prix du Jockey Club and G1 Coral-Eclipse. Forced to sidestep last month's G1 Juddmonte International after suffering a minor setback at home, he had to dig deep to deny three-time elite-level victrix Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal) and G1 2000 Guineas and G1 St James's Palace S. hero Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) in a three-way drive. Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez's G1 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis third Patrick Sarsfield (Fr) (Australia {GB}) set the tone with a clear advantage through halfway, ahead of Poetic Flare, the eventual winner and Tarnawa as the field maintained its order until turning for home. Bustled along by Ryan Moore passing the quarter-mile marker, the 5-6 favourite drifted wide towards the stands' side rail soon after and kept on in resolute fashion to deny the even-wider effort of Tarnawa by 3/4-of-a-length with Poetic Flare failing to maintain his early-straight advantage and getting edged out of second by a nose. The track's stewards enquired into possible inteference between the first two, but allowed the result to stand after a lengthy deliberation.

“He's a special horse, he relaxes and quickens and has all the determination from Galileo and all the speed from Siyouni,” said winning trainer Aidan O'Brien after extending his record haul in the contest to 10. “Ryan [Moore] gave him a great ride and I'm delighted. They set off at a nice pace, Kevin [Manning] was in second and he steadied it down to get himself straightened up and set up. The pace went out of the race completely before they turned in [for home], which was unusual, and they sprinted up the straight. He did well because it was very tactical and I would imagine the fractions for those last couple of furlongs were fairly rapid. He had a bit of catch-up to do, after [being forced to miss York] the last day, and one thing we knew is that he quickens. That's what he's always had and his strong qualities are that he relaxes and can really turn it on. He's just an exceptional horse and we're very lucky to have him. All the lads at home have done a great job to get him back here today after the last day. The plan was to go to York and then come here. After that we were going to see what way he came out of it and see what way we were going to go.”

Looking to possible future targets, the Ballydoyle conditioner continued, “He has a lot of options, he can go back to a mile or go a mile-and-a-quarter and all those [top-level] races have to be there. There may be a little bit of a problem with the [G1] Queen Elizabeth II S. [at Ascot on Champions Day]. We know that he handles soft ground, but Ascot can be run in very bad ground.”

St Mark's Basilica is one of two Group 1 winners produced by G3 Silver Flash S. victrix Cabaret (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), the other being G1 2000 Guineas and G1 Vertem Futurity-winning sire Magna Grecia (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}). Cabaret has also produced an unraced 2-year-old full-brother to St Mark's Basilica, named Paris Lights (Ire), and a weanling colt by Kingman (GB). She is a half-sister to G3 Solario S. victor Drumfire (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) and stakes-winning G2 Gimcrack S. runner-up Ho Choi (GB) (Pivotal {GB}). St Mark Basilica's third dam Fife (Ire) (Lomond) ran third in the Listed Lupe S. and is the second dam of G3 Park S. victrix and G1 Moyglare S. runner-up Ugo Fire (Ire) (Bluebird). Fife is a half-sister to Piffle (GB) (Shirley Heights {GB}), herself the dam of GI Hollywood Turf Cup S. hero Frenchpark (GB) (Fools Holme) and G1 Prix Vermeille heroine Pearly Shells (GB) (Efisio {GB}). This is also the family of the G1 St Leger hero Mountain Lodge (GB) (Blakeney {GB}).

Saturday, Leopardstown, Ireland
IRISH CHAMPION S.-G1, €1,000,000, Leopardstown, 9-11, 3yo/up, 10fT, 2:11.19, gd.
1–ST MARK'S BASILICA (FR), 129, c, 3, by Siyouni (Fr)
1st Dam: Cabaret (Ire) (GSW-Ire), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Witch of Fife, by Lear Fan
3rd Dam: Fife (Ire), by Lomond
(1,300,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Robert Scarborough (FR); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. €580,000. Lifetime Record: Hwt. 2yo Colt-Eur, MG1SW-Eng & Fr, 9-6-1-1, $2,977,233. *1/2 to Magna Grecia (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), Hwt. 3yo-Ire at 7-9.5f & MG1SW-Eng, $597,769. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Tarnawa (Ire), 132, m, 5, Shamardal–Tarana (Ire), by Cape Cross (Ire). O-H H The Aga Khan; B-H H The Aga Khan's Studs SC (IRE); T-Dermot Weld. €200,000.
3–Poetic Flare (Ire), 129, c, 3, Dawn Approach (Ire)–Maria Lee (Ire), by Rock of Gibraltar (Ire). O-Mrs J S Bolger; B/T-Jim Bolger (IRE). €100,000.
Margins: 3/4, NO, 7HF. Odds: 0.83, 2.25, 4.00.
Also Ran: Patrick Sarsfield (Fr). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Mother Earth Headlines 13-Horse Field In ‘Win And You’re In’ Matron Stakes

Derrick Smith & Mrs. John Magnier & Michael Tabor's Mother Earth (IRE) heads a strong 13-runner field in the Coolmore America 'Justify' Matron Stakes (G1) at Leopardstown on Saturday. The winner of this race will earn an automatic starting position and fees paid into this year's Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1).

The Breeders' Cup Challenge Series is an international series of stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into corresponding races of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, which will be held at Del Mar racetrack in Del Mar, California, on Nov. 5-6.

A daughter of Zoffany (IRE) out of the Green Desert mare Many Colours (GB), Mother Earth finished second in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) last year, before kicking off her 3-year-old season in perfect style with a win in the QIPCO 1000 Guineas (G1).

The filly went on to place second in the Emirates Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (G1) at ParisLongchamp, third in the Coronation Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot, and runner-up in the Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes (G1) at Newmarket. She returned to the winner's circle in her last start, taking the Prix Rothschild (G1) at Deauville on Aug. 3.

Trainer Aidan O'Brien said: “We were delighted with Mother Earth the last day in Deauville, and everything has gone well with her since then.”

The Classic heroine is one of two Guineas scorers for O'Brien, who also saddles Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas (G1) winner Empress Josephine (IRE), alongside stablemate Friendly (IRE).

Johnny Murtagh enjoyed a glittering career in the saddle, including three wins at the Breeders' Cup. He celebrated his first top-level success as a trainer in this race last year with Champers Elysees (IRE) and the 4-year-old returns to Leopardstown to defend her crown.

The daughter of Elzaam (AUS) will need to reverse recent form with Juddmonte's Acanella (GB). Trained by Ger Lyons and ridden by Colin Keane, Acanella was last seen when winning the Snow Fairy Fillies Stakes (G3) at The Curragh, with Champers Elysees three-quarters of a length behind in second.

The Paddy Twomey-trained Pearls Galore (FR) is another stepping up to Group 1 company for the first time. The 4-year-old recently secured Group 3 success at Fairyhouse and Tipperary.

Other notable runners include Pretty Gorgeous (FR), trained by Joseph O'Brien, and Shale (IRE), trained by Donnacha O'Brien. The duo meet again having repeatedly clashed last season, but neither are yet to reproduce their top-class juvenile form.

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 travel allowance of US$40,000 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. 25 to receive the rewards.

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St Mark’s Basilica, Tarnawa, Poetic Flare To Clash In Saturday’s Irish Champion Stakes

Big guns St Mark's Basilica, Tarnawa and Poetic Flare remain on target to clash in the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday. The Irish Champion Stakes is a “Win and You're In” race for the Breeders' Cup Turf to be held in early November at Del Mar.

The trio head the remaining 13 entries for the event, the highlight on the opening day of Longines Irish Champions Weekend which, for the first time, will be a World Pool event for all eight races.

Also standing their ground are a sextet from Ballydoyle, Armory, Bolshoi Ballet, Innisfree and the fillies Snowfall, Love and Joan Of Arc. Joseph O'Brien has left a trio in the race, Patrick Sarsfield, Baron Samedi and Thundering Nights while Jim Bolger's Mac Swiney also remains a possible contender.

The first of the weekend's Group 1 races is the Coolmore America 'Justify' Matron Stakes, a “Win and You're In” for the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf. Johnny Murtagh has left in both last year's winner Champers Elysees and the ever-improving Create Belief, while Aidan O'Brien can choose from Mother Earth, Empress Josephine, Joan Of Arc and Friendly. Joseph O'Brien is also strongly represented with Thundering Nights, Pretty Gorgeous and Lovely Esteem while the Willie McCreery-trained Epona Plays would not be without her chance. The Pascal Bary-trained Thalie stays in as do the Ed Walker-trained Dreamloper and Richard Fahey's Fev Rover.

There are four Group 1 races at the Curragh on Sunday and the second day of Longines Irish Champions Weekend is highlighted by the Comer Group International Irish St Leger for which there are 22 horses remaining. Leading the way is Dermot Weld's Search For A Song, bidding for her third successive win in the race with opposition set to include Johnny Murtagh's Ebor winner Sonnyboyliston. A strong team from the Joseph O'Brien stable is comprised of Twilight Payment, Master Of Reality and Baron Samedi while Aidan O'Brien has five possibles, including 2020 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby winner Santiago and Sir Lucan. Aircraft Carrier and Seattle Creek are set to represent the sponsor, Luke Comer.

From France and Germany, Yann Barberot's Brokeback Mountain and the Andreas Suborics-trained Rip Van Lips, winner of the Group 2 Comer Group International 50th Oleander-Rennen at Hoppegarten in May, could yet take their chance along with the remaining British challenger, David O'Meara's Eagles By Day.

Sixteen horses remain in the Derrinstown Stud Flying Five Stakes, headed by last year's winner of the race, the Kevin Ryan-trained Glass Slippers and Tim Easterby's Winter Power, successful in the Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes at York. Archie Watson's Dragon Symbol is another leading contender standing his ground along with top home contenders Mooneista, Gustavus Weston and Measure Of Magic, trained by Jack Davison, Joe Murphy and Johnny Murtagh respectively.

The first of the weekend's Group 1 races for 2-year-olds is the Moyglare Stud Stakes and topping the 14 remaining entries are Ger Lyons's supplementary entry Cairde Go Deo and the Dermot Weld-trained Homeless Songs which is bidding to give the sponsors their first win in the race.

Unbeaten colts Point Lonsdale, trained by Aidan O'Brien, and the Charlie Appleby-trained Native Trail lead the way in the Goffs Vincent O'Brien National Stakes for which ten horses stand their ground. Group 1 Keeneland Phoenix Stakes winner Ebro River is there for Hugo Palmer while Michael Bell's Great Max could be another raider from across the Irish Sea.

Tim Husbands, CEO of Leopardstown Racecourse, said: “We are delighted to see such a top-class field at this stage announced for the Irish Champion Stakes. It will be a highly competitive race, truly reflective of the depth of quality of Irish racing currently. We are looking forward to a great day's racing and to have racegoers returning in greater numbers will make for an extra special occasion.”

Evan Arkwright, Chief Executive (interim) of the Curragh Racecourse, said: “The entries on Sunday certainly confirms the champion status of the day with high quality runners from start to finish on a superb programme which features four Group 1 races. I would like to acknowledge the fantastic support of owners, trainers and of course our very loyal sponsors. We are really looking forward to welcoming racegoers back to the Curragh for one of the major highlights in the international calendar.”

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