Aidan O'Brien | Horse Racing Free Tips

Full-Sister To Minding, Empress Josephine Debuts

16.30 Curragh, Mdn, €16,500, 2yo, 6fT
Coolmore and Westerberg's THE LUTE PLAYER (IRE) (Caravaggio) is a son of G3 Ballyogan S. third Sparrow (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and thus a half-brother to G1 Cox Plate and G1 Tancred S. hero Sir Dragonet (Ire) (Camelot {GB}). The Aidan O'Brien-conditioned newcomer faces a cast of 10, which includes Johnny Murtagh trainee War Effort (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), who is a half-brother and stablemate to last term's G1 Matron S. victrix Champers Elysees (Ire) (Elzaam {Aus}).

17.00 Curragh, Mdn, €16,500, 2yo, f, 7fT
Aidan O'Brien trainee TUESDAY (IRE) (Galileo {Ire}) is another to represent the Coolmore-Westerberg axis and she faces a deep field in this debut. The June-foaled bay is a full-sister to seven-time Group 1 heroine Minding (Ire) and this term's G1 Irish 1000 Guineas winner Empress Josephine (Ire). Her opposition includes Jim Bolger's Hymn Book Two (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), who is a half-sister to MG1SW sire Dawn Approach (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}); Mise Le Meas (Ire) (New Bay {GB}), a Johnny Murtagh-trained half-sister to G1 Falmouth S. victrix Nahoodh (Ire) (Clodovil {Ire}); Shadwell homebred Alaroos (Ire) (Golden Horn {GB}), a half-sister to MGSW G1 Epsom Derby runner-up Madhmoon (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}), from the Kevin Prendergast stable; and Jessica Harrington trainee Discoveries (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), who is a once-raced full-sister to MG1SW G1 Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Alpha Centauri (Ire) and a half to last term's G1 Coronation S. victrix Alpha Lupi (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ger}).

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Love, Audarya May Face Off Again In July 29 Nassau Stakes

Love and Audarya could lock horns again in the 10-furlong G1 Qatar Nassau Stakes (29 entries) for fillies and mares on Thursday, July 29.

The duo both ran mighty races on their seasonal returns to finish first and second against the boys in the G1 Prince Of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot, with Love coming out on top by three-parts of a length.

Audarya was having her first start since providing trainer James Fanshawe with a memorable first Breeders' Cup success in the G1 Filly & Mare Turf at Keeneland in November. The daughter of Wootton Basset also captured the G1 Prix Jean Romanet at Deauville in August.

Fanshawe said: “Audarya has only been doing steady canters since Royal Ascot, but she seems very well.

“The Prince Of Wales's Stakes was her first run of the year, so you are never totally sure what to expect, and the same applied to Love obviously, but I was just really pleased with her performance and the way she has come out of the race.

“She has a couple of other entries beforehand, but the Qatar Nassau Stakes is a really nice race to aim for. Thanks to the support of Qatar, the prize money is fantastic, and it usually throws up a good clash between the three-year-olds and the older fillies and mares.”

Love's trainer Aidan O'Brien has a formidable eight-strong team in total, with Love joined by Classic winners Snowfall, Mother Earth, Joan Of Arc and Empress Josephine.

Snow Lantern (Richard Hannon) could tackle a mile and a quarter for the first time following her encouraging second in the G1 Coronation Stakes, as could G1 Lockinge Stakes runner-up Lady Bowthorpe (William Jarvis).

Ebaiyra (Alain de Royer-Dupre) is the sole French-trained entry following a decisive success in the G2 Prix Corrida at Saint-Cloud in May.

The Qatar Nassau Stakes is part of the British Champions Series.

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Eclipse Target For St Mark’s Basilica

Dual French Classic winner St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) looks unlikely to have a rematch this summer with Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}), with St Mark's Basilica set to target 10-furlong features like the July 3 G1 Eclipse S., Aug. 18 G1 Juddmonte International and Sept. 11 G1 Irish Champion S.

The Coolmore partners' St Mark's Basilica has gone unbeaten in three runs since taking last year's G1 Dewhurst S., adding the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains over a mile on May 16 and stepping up to 10.5 furlongs to take the G1 Prix du Jockey Club three weeks later. He had the G1 2000 Guineas winner Poetic Flare back in sixth in the Poulains, and that colt's owner/breeder/trainer Jim Bolger indicated after Poetic Flare's latest win in the G1 St James's Palace S. at Royal Ascot that the colt would stick to a mile for races like the G1 Sussex S. and G1 Prix Jacques le Marois this summer.

“St Mark's is in the mix for the Eclipse; something like that will be the plan for him,” said trainer Aidan O'Brien. “I'd have thought the Eclipse, the Juddmonte and the Irish Champion are all the races we'll be looking at for him. I think at the moment we're happy to keep him at 10 furlongs, but obviously he could drop back. I think that's the sort of plan we're thinking of at the moment.”

O'Brien also provided an update on last week's G1 Prince Of Wales's S. winner Love (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Last year's champion 3-year-old filly could meet St Mark's Basilica over 10 furlongs this summer, but also has options over 12 furlongs including the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. and the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

“Love is good. We're happy with her,” said O'Brien. “Obviously she's done very little since Wednesday, she's only back cantering again now, but we're very happy with her. To do that after a long break, we were delighted. She hadn't had a run since the Yorkshire Oaks so we were delighted. Anything over 10 furlongs or a mile and a half is her all over. She's in the mix for all those types of races now, anything over that trip. It's great to have her started again and now we can look at all those races.”

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High Definition Among Irish Derby Entries

Likely favourite High Definition (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is among 17 remaining in Saturday's G1 Irish Derby following Tuesday's entry stage. Last year's G2 Beresford S. winner High Definition looks to hand his trainer Aidan O'Brien his 15th Irish Derby score, a task that could also be assigned to his stablemates Van Gogh (American Pharoah), Wordsworth (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Sir Lamorak (Ire) (Camelot {GB}).

Also among the 17 remaining entries are G1 Irish 2000 Guineas winner Mac Swiney (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) and the G1 Cazoo Derby second and third Mojo Star (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}). Listed Cocked Hat S. winner Lone Eagle (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) will represent Ballylinch Stud and Aquis Farm, with Frankie Dettori set to pick up the mount.

Fernando Vichi (Ire) (Australia {GB}) will look to give Donnacha O'Brien his first Irish Derby as a trainer, while O'Brien's brother Joseph will be represented by Southern Lights (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}). Earlswood (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) is set to be a first Irish Derby runner for Johnny Murtagh, who won the race four times as a jockey.

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