Discoveries The Next Classic Contender For Star Family

Despite the retirements of recent stable stalwarts like Group 1-winning juvenile and new Irish National Stud stallion Lucky Vega (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), top-level performer and 2,000,000gns broodmare prospect Cayenne Pepper (Ire) (Australia {GB}), and last September's G1 Matron S. victrix No Speak Alexander (Ire) (Shalaa {Ire}), Jessica Harrington is still loaded for bear at the start of this Flat season.

Speaking confidently from her scenic base in Moone, she went through a list to savour with the regally-bred 3-year-old Discoveries (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), a full-sister to the marvellous Alpha Centauri (Ire) who was triumphant in last September's G1 Moyglare Stud S., heading the list. 

“All being well Discoveries will head to the English Guineas. I won't run her unless the ground is fast. Like her sister, she wants fast ground,” said the trainer.

Harrington outlined a series of promising prospects from her stable where quality fillies and mares outnumber their male counterparts two-to-one. Magical Lagoon (Galileo {Ire}), a thrice-raced juvenile who landed a Curragh Group 3 last August, is a half-sister to Novellist (Ire) (Monsun {Ger}, the Japan-based stallion who won Group 1 races in four different European countries.

She said, “Magical Lagoon will go for the Salsabil and has an entry in the English Oaks [as well as the Irish 1,000 Guineas and Irish Oaks]. She did a racecourse gallop the other day and we're very happy with her. She has done well and got very strong over the winter.”

In addition, Harrington spoke highly of Group 3-winning 4-year-old Forbearance (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) who “will go in fillies' races from a mile and a quarter to a mile and a half”. 

She added, “Forbearance needs the ground quick, quick, quick so she'll likely be making a few journeys to England again.”

The twice-raced Killarney maiden-winning 3-year-old Caroline Herschel (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), named after the famed 18th century German astronomer who discovered several comets, was described as “a stakes filly on soft ground”, while Harrington declared herself “delighted” with the talented 3-year old Villanova Queen (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), who rallied strongly when third in Leopardstown's G3 1,000 Guineas trial last Saturday. 

“She's very relaxed,” said the trainer.

The stable's grand servant Barrington Court (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), a tough and effective dual-purpose mare, returns for her 8-year-old campaign and “will run if ever, ever we get soft ground for her. She's in great order this year and I'm delighted with her also.” 

Meanwhile, 4-year-old filly The Blue Brilliant (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) who “ran a blinder” in France last year when beaten by a narrow margin in a Deauville Group 3 is considered an “eight- to 10-furlong type, one mile if the ground is real soft.”

Real Appeal (Ger) (Sidestep {Aus}), a 5-year-old gelding who won the G2 Boomerang Mile last September before taking an unsuccessful crack at the Breeders' Cup Mile, returns for Harrington's longstanding and supportive owner Zhang Yuesheng. 

She said, “Real Appeal heads for the Amethyst and hopefully returns to Group 1 races after that.” 

Harrington retains excitement for the 6-year-gelding Leo De Fury (Ire) (Australia {GB}). She said of the Group 2 winner, “He is in a good place this year and will go for the Mooresbridge and then the Vintage Crop to see if he stays. I see no reason why he won't.”

The stable's 3-year-old colts and geldings are headed by Confident Star (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) and Cowboy Justice (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), with Harrington saying of the former, the winner of a seven-furlong Cork maiden last September, “I think he's a miler and I think he's a stronger horse this year so he'll go to the (Irish 2,000) Guineas Trial.”

Cowboy Justice was gelded after an attack of colic last year and is being aimed at six- and seven-furlong contests.

Harrington is off to a flying start with her 2-year-olds and wins by both the colt Ocean Quest (Ire) (Sioux Nation {Ire}), a first winner for his freshman stallion, and Dundalk winning debutante It's Showtime Baby (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) prove that she has plenty of forward types. 

“Training 2-year-olds is tremendously exciting because you just don't know what they are going to turn out like,” she said. “The ones that promise everything could end up doing nothing. You get surprises and you get disappointments and they can't all be good.

“We have a few here by first-season sires and I have to say I love the Saxon Warriors. I think they are very nice. I have four Saxon Warriors and we have two Sioux Nations. Ocean Quest won her maiden and we have a very smart colt by him as well. He's big and square and they all seem to have good temperaments. The Saxon Warriors are really laidback as well. I have a couple of Zoustars as well, and I like them. They look nice and they are sharp.”

In the coming months, Harrington's supporters can look forward to the debut of the colt Saturn (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}, the first foal of Alpha Centauri. 

“We are getting a better class of 2-year-old every year,” Harrington said. “We have 75 this year. It's lovely to have some of the pedigrees that we have. You look down through the list and some of them really could be anything. They're not just early pedigrees, and the ones that we have run just came to hand, but they should continue progressing. We have a Kuroshio colt, called Panic Alarm (Ire), Keepingupwithmyempire (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) and Slick Chick (Ire) (Belardo {Ire}), and they will be the next three to run for us.”

She added, “Alpha Centauri's first foal is called Saturn and he's pretty forward. Alpha Centauri made her debut in May and I don't think this fellow will take very long. It will depend on how he goes in the next couple of weeks. He's very mature in his mind and does everything very easily.”

Stable jockey Shane Foley also spoke of a particular affinity for the Yulong-owned unnamed Dubawi colt out of the Group 3 winner and Group 1-placed Spectre (Fr), a 410,000gns purchase at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.

He said, “I love the Dubawi colt out of Spectre. He could be out in a seven-furlong maiden on Irish Derby weekend and should make up into a lovely middle-distance colt.”

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The Weekly Wrap: Like A Hurricane

It's a childish game but I've long amused myself by seeing how many song titles can be weaved into headlines and this weekend's results provided an open goal for a Neil Young classic, not once but twice. 

Two hurricanes blew across Town Moor on Saturday at the opposite ends of the distance spectrum. Hurricane Ivor (Ire) (Ivawood {GB}) is an admirable sprinter who has bounced back from a blistering debut for Fabrice Chappet and subsequent illness that ruled him out of much of his juvenile season. He has been creeping up the ratings this year on the back of some consistent performances for William Haggas, culminating in his gutsy Portland H. win under top weight. Like his sire Ivawood, Hurricane Lane races in the purple and green-starred silks of Fiona Carmichael, and he surely deserves another shot at some black type.

Of far greater significance at this stage, however, is the hugely impressive winner of the Cazoo St Leger, Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}). Within the space of an hour, he and St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) became the 24th and 25th horses to have won Group 1 races in Britain, Ireland and France in the same year since the Pattern was devised 50 years ago.

Already proven to be highly effective over a mile and a half, Hurricane Lane's hoped-for next start in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe should see him try to reverse the Derby form with his stable-mate Adayar (Ire). Debate will rage about which son of Frankel is better, but these two Godolphin colts have lit up the middle-distance division for the Classic generation with their consistency at the highest level. 

Adayar's defection from the G2 Qatar Prix Niel was a disappointment, as was the late scratching on a vaccination error of Bolshoi Ballet (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), and while the latter has claimed the GI Belmont Derby this season, he still has something to prove on European turf.

One thing is for sure, the Cartier Champion Three-Year-Old Colt title will be one of the hottest contests of the year, with Adayar and Hurricane Lane facing stiff competition from the outstanding St Mark's Basilica, who is surely the odds-on favourite for this honour, as well as the boldly campaigned Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}). In another year, any one of the quartet would be a worthy winner.

The Ger and Jessie Show

Aidan O'Brien may have this year's star package in the Irish Champion S. winner St Mark's Basilica but the Group 1 honours on Irish Champions Weekend were shared around pretty fairly, with five different stables winning the six top-level races. 

Jessica Harrington was queen of both Leopardstown and the Curragh, winning the G1 Coolmore America Matron S. with No Speak Alexander (Ire), who delivered an important first Group 1 winner for Shalaa (Ire), as well as for Dandy Man (Ire) as a broodmare sire.

Bred by Mount Armstrong Stud and raced by Noel, Charles and Paul O'Callaghan, No Speak Alexander is the first foal of their listed winner Rapacity Alexander (Ire), who is a full-sister to Dandy Man's Hong Kong Group 1 winner Peniaphobia (Ire).

Another first was notched for the Harrington team in the following race, the G2 Clipper Logistics Boomerang Mile when Real Appeal (Ger) became the first European group winner for the former shuttler Sidestep (Aus), a son of Exceed And Excel (Aus) who spent three years at Haras du Logis.

Bought as a €9,000 foal by Con and Theresa Marnane, Real Appeal won three races in France as a juvenile, including the listed Prix La Fleche, and was subsequently sold for £265,000 to Zhang Yuesheng at the Goffs London Sale.

Sidestep stood his first three seasons in Australia for Darley but is now leased to Telemon Thoroughbreds in Queensland. He made an eye-catching start in the southern hemisphere where his first crop included the 2019 G1 Golden Slipper winner Kiamichi (Aus).

Perhaps the most satisfying of four wins over Irish Champions Weekend for Harrington was that of the Niarchos family's Discoveries (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) in the G1 Moyglare Stud S. This is a family which has really helped to raise the profile of her stable on the Flat, with full-sister and erstwhile stable star Alpha Centauri (Ire) and half-sister Alpine Star (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) having each landed Group 1 races for Harrington in recent seasons. 

Huge interest will doubtless be paid to the full-brother of Discoveries and Alpha Centauri who is consigned to the Goffs Orby Sale as lot 347 by Camas Park Stud. His was a page which hardly needed an update–only two dams fit as it is, leaving off his mighty great grandam Miesque–but it has been given another dose of proper black type nonetheless.

Harrington's quartet of wins on Irish Champions Weekend was matched by Ger Lyons, who was a welcome sight back at the races for the first time since the pandemic struck. He timed his run well as he was present to enjoy the success of Atomic Jones (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), who remained unbeaten when winning the G2 KPMG Champions Juvenile S. The same ownership trio Sean Jones, David Spratt and the trainer's wife Lynne Lyons, was celebrating again later in the afternoon when Camorra (Ire) (Zoffany {GB}) led home a one-two for the stable in the G3 Paddy Power S.

Breeders Behind The Stars

The breeding plaudits for the weekend must be split equally between Bob Scarborough and Philippa Cooper, who were each responsible for two group winners at Leopardstown and Doncaster respectively. 

When Magna Grecia (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) won the 2000 Guineas, Melbourne-based Scarborough could have been forgiven for thinking that he'd hit the heights as a breeder, but little did he know that the best was yet to come from his Galileo mare Cabaret (Ire). Two years after foaling Magna Grecia, she produced St Mark's Basilica, who is now the winner of five consecutive Group 1 races in three countries. But he was not the sole highlight on Saturday for Scarbrorough's northern hemisphere breeding operation, which is based at Norelands Stud in Co Kilkenny. No sooner had the dust settled on a dramatic Champion S., than Camorra bounced out to give the breeder another boost in the following race, the G3 Paddy Power S. The 4-year-old is the top-rated runner of Mauralakana (Fr) (Muhtathir {GB}), who won the G1 Beverly D S. in Scarborough's colours in 2008.

Cooper also enjoyed a group double in consecutive races, with Hurricane Lane's St Leger victory following yet another win for the admirable Glorious Journey (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). The 6-year-old has now won eight races, six of them at group level, the latest coming on Saturday in the G2 Park S.

Lynams Pinpointing Success

'Fast Eddie' Lynam will be paying close attention to the notes in the foal sales catalogues of his wife Aileen and daughter Amy this season after Romantic Proposal (Ire) (Raven's Pass) became the second group winner for the stable to have been pinhooked by the duo. The first was Soffia (GB) (Kyllachy {GB}), who won two group races at the Curragh for Lady O'Reilly.

Winner of the listed Dubai Duty Free Dash in June and also twice group-placed this season, Romantic Proposal beat a strong field in the G1 Flying Five S. to give Steve Parkin of Clipper Logistics a memorable weekend and another valuable future broodmare prospect for his Yorkshire-based Branton Court Stud.

Originally bought as a foal from breeder Julie Lynch of Fastnet Stud for €25,000, Romantic Proposal returned to Goffs for the Orby Sale, where she was bought by Parkin's bloodstock advisor Joe Foley for €55,000.

The Breeders' Cup Classic winner Raven's Pass now boasts a strike-rate of 8.4 stakes winners to runners and has never had a foal crop larger than 80, which was the tally from his first year at stud in 2010. He has now had a Group 1 winner in Japan, Dubai, France and Ireland and is also having some success as a broodmare sire, notably through Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) and the G2 Mill Reef S. winner Kessaar (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), whose first yearlings are now at the sales.

There is much to recommend Romantic Proposal beyond her sire, however, as her dam Playwithmyheart (GB) (Diktat {GB}) is a winning half-sister to the G1 Prix de la Foret winner Toyslome (GB) (Cadeaux Genereux {GB}). Some stouter influences are also found in the presence of Ascot Gold Cup and St Leger winner Leading  Light (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}), whose grandam River Jig (Irish River {Fr}) is Romantic Proposal's third dam.

Blazing A Trail

There was a disappointing lack of British runners in the Irish Champion S. but Charlie Appleby ensured that Champions Weekend was not an entirely domestic affair when sending out Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) to land an upset in defeating Point Lonsdale (Ire) (Australia {GB}) and Ebro River (Ire) (Galileo Gold {GB}) in the G1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National S.

It was a notable first Group 1 success for breeder Jose Delmotte of Haras d'Haspel, who bought Native Trail's dam Needleleaf (GB) (Observatory {GB}), a full-sister to G1 Sprint Cup winner African Rose (GB), from Juddmonte for 60,000gns through his friend and advisor Marc-Antoine Berghgracht.

Native Trail has already been through the sale ring three times, initially when sold by his breeder for €50,000 to Sam Sangster as a foal and most recently when consigned by Norman Williamson at the Craven Breeze-up Sale. There he was sold to Godolphin for 210,000gns, having been bought at Tattersalls as a yearling for 67,000gns. 

His two previous victories, including the G2 Superlative S., gave an important boost to his Kingman half-sister when she went through the Arqana August Sale the following month. Unsurprisingly, it was Anthony Stroud who signed for the filly, as he had done for Native Trail, but this time at €950,000.

Varian The Party-Pooper

Charlie Appleby wasn't the only British trainer responsible for spoiling the fun for Ballydoyle over the weekend as the Roger Varian-trained Teona (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) sprang quite a surprise when getting the better of odds-on favourite Snowfall (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the G1 Qatar Prix Vermeille.

There's something rather satisfying about seeing Derby winners feature as sire and broodmare sire of top-class horses, and Teona's dam Ambivalent (Ire), also trained by Varian, is one of six Group 1 winners for the somewhat overlooked Authorized (Ire). Both mother and daughter have carried the colours of Ali Saeed.

Varian may also have caused a bit of consternation in the palace on Saturday when his Bayside Boy (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) halted the upwardly mobile progression of the Queen's Reach For The Moon (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) by winning the G2 Champagne S. by a head.

Bred by Ballylinch Stud, Bayside Boy had previously been runner-up in the listed Denford S. to Masekela (Ire) (El Kabeir), who in turn was beaten a short-head by Native Trail in the Superlative S.

David Egan was on board Bayside Boy and notched a double at Doncaster for his boss when also winning on Highclere Thoroughbred Racing's Title (Ire) (Camelot {GB}). Not far away at Chester the same day, we were reminded of a different type of sire power when John Egan, David's 53-year-old father, rode a double of his own, including in the day's feature race, the listed Tote+ Stand Cup. There's life in the old dog yet.

Double Bubble

The first of the Arc Trials at ParisLongchamp went the way of Bubble Gift (Fr) (Nathaniel {Ire}), who completed a notable double within eight days for owner Zak Bloodstock and trainer Mikel Delzangles. The previous Sunday his three-parts-sister Bubble Smart (GB) (Intello {Ger}) had won the G3 Prix Gladiateur.

Both horses were bred and are raced by the Hakam family under a breeding operation established by the Moroccan-born Zakaria Hakam, who died 10 years ago. His children Ali and Amina and their mother Mouna Bengeloun have carried on the tradition, now racing their homebreds, which are raised at Haras de Maulepaire, under the name of Zak Bloodstock.

It has been a successful season for the family, with 4-year-old Bubble Smart having notched a hat-trick of wins, and the year-younger Bubble Gift adding the Niel to his victory in the G2 Prix Hocquart in the spring. He was just over nine lengths behind Hurricane Lane when sixth in the G1 Grand Prix de Paris.

Their dam Bubble Back (Fr) (Grand Lodge) remained winless in her five-start racing career but she has proved a worthy broodmare, with her earlier offspring including Bubble Chic (Fr) (Chichicastenango {Fr}), who was runner-up to Reliable Man (GB) in the G1 Prix du Jockey Club and won the G3 Darley S. at Newmarket before being sold to race on in Hong Kong, where he won two listed contests.

It is pleasing to see the talented Mikel Delzangles back in the limelight this season, and his group-race success continued on Sunday when the Aga Khan's Sagamiyra (Fr) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) landed the G3 Qatar Prix du Pin. The 4-year-old filly was beaten just a head by Mother Earth (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) on her previous start in the G1 Prix Rothschild in August.

Raiders Of The Lost Arc

The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe has long represented something of a holy grail for Japanese owners and trainers and the latest of their raiders to put his name in the reckoning for Europe's richest race is Deep Bond (Jpn). The 4-year-old is a member of the first crop of Japanese Derby winner Kizuna (Jpn), the champion freshman sire in Japan in 2019 and a son of the late Deep Impact (Jpn). 

Both Deep Bond's sire and grandsire staked their own claim to the Arc, with Deep Impact finishing third in 2006 and subsequently being disqualified when a banned substance was detected in his post-race sample. Kizuna beat Derby winner Ruler Of The World (Ire) to win the G2 Qatar Prix Niel of 2013 before finishing fourth in the Arc behind Treve (Fr), with his fellow Japanese-trained runner Orfevre (Jpn) taking second that day.

Deep Bond, who is inbred 4×4 to Halo, may not be the only Japanese contender for this year's Arc as the highly regarded treble Grade 1 winner Chrono Genesis (Jpn), a 5-year-old daughter of the 2004 Arc winner, Bago (Fr), is also an intended runner. The presence of Japanese runners in any race internationally always adds some spice and they are usually accompanied by a large throng of supporters, though that will sadly be scuppered this year by ongoing travel restrictions.

Pat Smullen Remembered

Wednesday, Sept. 15 marks the first anniversary of the passing of Pat Smullen. We were fortunate to have had Ireland's multiple champion jockey as a TDN columnist throughout the 2019 season and one thing that stood out in his weekly missives was how pleased he was to see his fellow jockeys do well, even though he had been forced to curtail his own brilliant riding career through illness.

It is doubtless this generosity of spirit that made Smullen so popular along his peers and so revered by the young jockeys on their way up, many of whom would ring him regularly for advice and feedback on their own burgeoning careers.

It was hard not to have a lump in the throat watching and listening to his weigh-room colleagues pay tribute by singing Stand By Me with the Newbridge Gospel Choir during Sunday's broadcast from the Curragh. Two years earlier the racecourse had been the scene of an equally emotional occasion when Smullen raised €2.5 million for Cancer Trials Ireland, predominantly through the Pat Smullen Champions Race.

One of the nine retired champions in that race was his former arch-rival Johnny Murtagh, who won the last of eight Group 1 races over the weekend, the Irish St Leger, with the Ebor winner Sonnyboyliston (Ire) (Power {GB}).

Reflecting on their competitiveness in the saddle back in April 2019, Smullen said, “I think our relationship is a lot better since both of us have not been riding. I genuinely feel that his ability to train horses is unquestionable.”

On this and many other things he was unquestionably right.

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Romantic Proposal Upsets Flying Five At The Curragh, Earns BC Turf Sprint Berth

The Clipper Logistics Group-owned 5-year-old mare Romantic Proposal (IRE) ran out a surprise winner of the Group 1 Derrinstown Stud Flying Five Stakes at The Curragh in County Kildare, Ireland, and earned an automatic berth into the $1 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint through the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series.

In the second “Win and You're In” race on the card, the Jessica Harrington-trained Discoveries (IRE) secured an automatic entry into the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf with a victory in the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes, over 7 furlongs.

The Breeders' Cup Challenge Series is an international series of 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 Del Mar racetrack in Del Mar, California, on Nov. 5-6.

The Eddie Lynam-trained Romantic Proposal (IRE) was sent off a 16-1 outsider for the G1 Derrinstown Stud Flying Five Stakes, having finished third in the Group 2 Paddy Power Sapphire Stakes over course and distance on her most recent start.

Ridden by Chris Hayes, Romantic Proposal (IRE) came with a strong late run to beat the Ado McGuinness-trained A Case Of You (IRE) by a half-length into second, with last year's winner and reigning Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint champion Glass Slippers (GB) in third, losing the place spot in the final yards. Dragon Symbol (GB), the 5-2 favorite, finished fourth.

Winning trainer Lynam, who enjoyed Group 1 success with top sprinters Sole Power (GB) and Slade Power (IRE) said: “She'd been progressive. We ran her over a mile first time out and she was placed, then we dropped her back to seven furlongs and she's just kept improving. I always believed the filly was capable of running a big race and she's done everything great. I think it's six years since I've had a Group 1 winner and it's nice to have another one.”

A daughter of Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic winner Raven's Pass (USA) out of the Diktat (GB) mare Playwithmyheart (GB), Romantic Proposal (IRE) completed the 5 furlongs in a time of :59.77 on a course rated as good.

Discoveries Delivers in Moyglare Stud Stakes

Niarchos Family's 2-year-old filly Discoveries (IRE) stormed to success in the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes to gain an automatic entry for the $1 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.

Trained by Jessica Harrington and ridden by Shane Foley, who teamed up to win the Group 1 Coolmore America “Justify” Matron Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday, Discoveries (IRE) was third behind Agartha (IRE) and Sunset Shiraz (IRE) in the Group 2 Alpha Centauri Debutante Stakes in her last start. The same three fillies fought out the finish today, with Discoveries (IRE) staying on best of all to win by three-quarters of a length, with Agartha coming in second and Sunset Shiraz finishing third. A daughter of Mastercraftsman (IRE) out of the Rahy (USA) mare Alpha Lupi (IRE), Discoveries (IRE) completed the contest in 1:27.10.

Winning trainer Harrington said: “This filly was green first time she ran and then she won her maiden. We hoped she'd win the Alpha Centauri Debutante, but the ground came up soft that day and she goes on top of the ground.”

A full sister to Group 1-winning miler Alpha Centauri (IRE) and a half-sister to Group 1 winning-miler Alpine Star (IRE), Discoveries (IRE) will step up to that distance according to her trainer, though no immediate targets have been decided. Harrington said, “We think she'll improve again, but today is the day. She'll get a mile no doubt.”

As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for both Romantic Proposal and Discoveries to start 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.

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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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