Tag: Curragh Racecourse

Galileo’s Aikhal Surges To International Success

Aidan O'Brien trainee Aikhal (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}–Diamond Fields {Ire}, by Fastnet Rock {Aus}), who ran fourth in last term's G3 Autumn S. and G1 Criterium International, came back off a 234-day sabbatical to finish last of 11 in this month's G1 St James's Palace S. at Royal Ascot and bounced back in style to register a career high in Saturday's G3 ARM Holding International S. on the G1 Irish Derby undercard. Stalking the pace in second until sent to the fore approaching the quarter-mile pole, the 20-1 chance quickened in style to poach a decisive advantage entering the final furlong and was ridden further clear in the closing stages to easily dismiss G3 Eyrefield S. winner and G1 Irish 2000 Guineas fifth Duke de Sessa (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Fr}) by an impressive 4 1/4 lengths.

“We thought this was a very good horse last year, but he got a hold up in the spring and he went to the [G1] St James's Palace without a run which is certainly not ideal,” the winning trainer revealed. “It was a slow pace [at Royal Ascot] and then they quickened and left him. Ryan [Moore] said maybe we ran the wrong horse in the [G1 Irish] Derby when he got off him. They went a strong gallop and Ryan couldn't believe how well he was going. He ran right through the line.” Moore added, “He's a lovely, little horse and has done that very well. He was off a long time and went straight into the St James's Palace. He stepped up to a mile-and-a-quarter today and got the trip very well. You'd be delighted with what he has done there and he has beaten some real solid older horses. He won well and they weren't getting anywhere near him. Hopefully, he has got a bright future from here.”

Aikhal, kin to a 2-year-old filly by Frankel (GB) and a yearling colt by Kingman (GB), is the first of three foals produced by G3 Gladness S. victrix Diamond Fields (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), who is a half-sister to G1 Irish Derby hero Latrobe (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) and stakes-winning G1 Investec Oaks, G1 Irish Oaks and G1 Pretty Polly S. placegetter Pink Dogwood (Ire) (Camelot {GB}). The March-foaled bay's second dam, Listed Bosra Sham Fillies' S. runner-up Question Times (GB) (Shamardal), is a half-sister to G3 Sceptre S. victrix and G1 Cheveley Park S. second Sunday Times (GB) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), herself the dam of stakes-winning G3 Chipchase S. third Classical Times (GB) (Lawman {Fr}) and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf and GI Just A Game S. heroine Newspaperofrecord (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}).

Saturday, Curragh, Ireland
ARM HOLDING INTERNATIONAL S.-G3, €100,000, Curragh, 6-25, 3yo/up, 10fT, 2:08.15, gd.
1–AIKHAL (IRE), 123, c, 3, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: Diamond Fields (Ire) (GSW-Ire, MGSP-US & SP-Eng, $225,664), by Fastnet Rock (Aus)
2nd Dam: Question Times (GB), by Shamardal
3rd Dam: Forever Times (GB), by So Factual
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. O-Mary Slack, Coolmore & Westerberg; B-Wilgerbosdrift (UK) Ltd (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. €60,000. Lifetime Record: 6-2-1-0, $98,426. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Duke de Sessa (Ire), 126, c, 3, Lope de Vega (Ire)–Dark Crusader (Ire), by Cape Cross (Ire). (£60,000 RNA Ylg '20 GOFOR). O/B-Newtown Anner Stud Farm Ltd (IRE); T-Dermot Weld. €20,000.
3–Rumbles of Thunder (Ire), 132, f, 4, Night of Thunder (Ire)–Blanche Neige (GB), by Halling. 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (€77,000 Wlg '18 GOFNOV; 425,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT; 100,000gns RNA 2yo '20 TATBRE; €390,000 RNA 3yo '21 ARQDEC). O/T-Paddy Twomey; B-F Killen (IRE). €10,000.
Margins: 4 1/4, HF, 1 1/4. Odds: 20.00, 6.50, 2.75.
Also Ran: Mac Swiney (Ire), Bear Story (Ire), Vega Magnifico (Ire), Visualisation (Ire). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

 

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Eight Declared For Saturday’s G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby

Overnight contenders for Saturday's G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish were reduced by half, leaving eight declared for the Curragh's €1,000,000 12-furlong Classic. Aidan O'Brien took the most drastic measures and reduced his team of six to just one with G1 Cazoo Oaks heroine Tuesday (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) set to depart from stall one in her bid to become the first filly to prevail since Balanchine (Storm Bird) in 1994. Her chief rival, Juddmonte's G1 Cazoo Derby third Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}), has drawn stall five.

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Invincible Spirit’s Pearls Galore Prevails at The Curragh

Haras de Saint Pair's evergreen 5-year-old mare Pearls Galore (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}–Pearl Banks {GB}, by Pivotal {GB}), who posted runner-up finishes in last term's G1 Matron S. and G1 Prix de la Foret, went postward as the odds-on selection for Sunday's G2 Lanwades Stud S. at The Curragh, but was made to fight for a narrow success by 25-1 outsider Emphatic Answer (Ire) (No Nay Never). The homebred bay, whose 2021 campaign yielded scores in the G3 Brownstown S. and G3 Fairy Bridge S., also ran sixth in November's GI Breeders' Cup Mile and lined up here coming back off a win in Leopardstown's Listed Heritage S. on seasonal return last month. The eventual was the sharpest of seven into stride and settled behind the leaders in third after the early strides. Inching closer once into the straight, the 8-11 favourite was shaken up inside the final quarter mile to launch her challenge Emphatic Answer entering the final furlong and was driven out to just get the better of that rival by a neck. Sh Boom (GB) (War Command) was best of the remainder and finished two lengths away in third.

“She's tough and improving all the time,” said winning trainer Paddy Twomey. “She enjoys her racing and does what she has to do. She's won her Group 2 now, so we'll have to try and win a Group 1. The fillies' races through the summer–the Falmouth, the Prix de Rothschild and the Matron–and maybe the [Prix de la] Foret and the [GI] Breeders Cup Mile, that sort of programme we are looking at with her. We'll target the European races before going to America.”

Pearls Galore is the fifth of seven foals and one of three stakes winners produced by G3 Dirk Elbers-Preis victrix Pearl Banks (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), herself out of G1 Prix Vermeille heroine Pearly Shells (GB) (Efisio {GB}). Pearly Shells, in turn, is a half-sister to GI Hollywood Turf Cup-winning sire Frenchpark (GB) (Fools Holme). The May-foaled homebred bay is a half-sister to G3 Grosser Preis der Mehl-Mulhens-Stiftung victrix Lucky Lycra (Ire) (Olympic Glory {Ire}), Listed Prix des Lilas winner Pearly Steph (Fr) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and the unraced 2-year-old colt L'Ambassadeur (GB) (Shalaa {Ire}).

Sunday, Curragh, Ireland
LANWADES STUD S.-G2, €142,800, Curragh, 5-22, 4yo/up, f/m, 8fT, 1:39.62, gd/yl.
1–PEARLS GALORE (FR), 128, m, 5, by Invincible Spirit (Ire)
1st Dam: Pearl Banks (GB) (GSW-Ger & SW-Fr, $127,537), by Pivotal (GB)
2nd Dam: Pearly Shells (GB), by Efisio (GB)
3rd Dam: Piffle (GB), by Shirley Heights (GB)
O/B-SCEA Haras de Saint Pair du Mont (FR); T-Paddy Twomey; J-Billy Lee. €72,000. Lifetime Record: 14-6-3-1, $426,326. *1/2 to Lucky Lycra (Ire) (Olympic Glory {Ire}), GSW-Ger & SW-Fr; and Pearly Steph (Fr) (Oasis Dream {GB}), SW-Fr. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Emphatic Answer (Ire), 128, f, 4, No Nay Never–Ask Me Nicely (Ire), by Fastnet Rock (Aus). 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O-Rectory Road Holdings Ltd, Susan Magnier & Mrs A M O'Brien; B-Mrs A M O'Brien (IRE); T-Joseph O'Brien. €24,000.
3–Sh Boom (GB), 128, m, 6, War Command–Nouvelle Lune (GB), by Fantastic Light. (52,000gns RNA Ylg '17 TAOCT; 57,000gns 3yo '19 TATMA). O-David Spratt, Sean Jones & Mrs Lynne Lyons; B-J G Davis & Star Pointe Ltd (GB); T-Ger Lyons. €12,000.
Margins: NK, 2, 3/4. Odds: 0.73, 25.00, 22.00.
Also Ran: Thunder Beauty (Ire), Twilight Spinner (GB), Shahaada (Ire), Diadora (Ire). Scratched: My Holy Fox (Ire). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Tuesday Heads Field of 14 For Sunday’s G1 Irish 1000 Guineas

Sunday's G1 Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas has attracted a final field for 14 with Godolphin's Wild Beauty (GB) (Frankel {GB}) the only filly not to stand her ground at Friday's declaration stage. Her absence leaves Coolmore and Westerberg's G1 1000 Guineas third Tuesday (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), one of four nominees from the Aidan O'Brien stable seeking a fourth straight renewal, as the lone contender representing Newmarket's Classic form. The ante-post favourite has drawn stall three, with stablemates History (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Concert Hall (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) to her immediate outer in four and five, respectively. Ballydoyle's other entry Lullaby (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) has been allocated gate 13. Moyglare Stud's G3 1000 Guineas Trial victrix Homeless Songs (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) will depart from stall 11 while G1 Criterium International third Purplepay (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}), who was knocked down for for €2-million at Arqana's December sale, is set to make her first start for new trainer William Haggas from stall seven.

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