The Curragh | Horse Racing Free Tips

Auguste Rodin Faces Eight In Irish Derby

Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) will have eight peers to overcome on Sunday in his bid to become the fifth Derby winner for Aidan O'Brien to double up in the G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at The Curragh. Among them are the Derby third White Birch (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}) and fourth Sprewell (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}), the only runners not representing the O'Brien family with the Donnacha-trained Proud And Regal (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Joseph-trained Up And Under (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) the others taking on a Ballydoyle quintet. Auguste Rodin is drawn next to the rail in one, with the habitual slow-starter White Birch widest of all in eight.

Incredibly, Ryan Moore is looking for a first renewal of this Classic and said in his Betfair blog, “If he runs up to the level of his form at Epsom, something is going to have improve markedly to beat him. I am sure the connections of White Birch and Sprewell will fancy their chances of at least getting closer to us on this more conventional track. And who is to say they won't. Different day, different course, different result maybe. But everyone saw the real Auguste Rodin in the Derby, stepped up to a trip more in keeping with his superb pedigree and everyone has seen how strong the form is with King Of Steel and Waipiro coming out and winning at Ascot.”

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Yulong Named The New Sponsor For The Pretty Polly

Yulong will sponsor the G1 Pretty Polly S. at the Curragh in 2023, the racecourse announced on Thursday.

Scheduled for Saturday, July 1, the second day of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Festival, the race–restricted to fillies and mares–will now be worth €300,000. Owned by Yuesheng Zhang, Yulong will also present a free nomination for 2024 to juvenile Group 1 winner Lucky Vega (Ire) to the owners of the first three placed horses.

Sam Fairgray, COO Yulong Investments said, “Following on from Yulong Stud's involvement in Ireland with Lucky Vega, we are extremely happy to support the Irish racing and breeding industry and look forward to many years of collaboration ahead.”

Zhang's green and white colours have been carried to victory at the Curragh by Magical Lagoon (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Irish Oaks in 2022, as well as by current Irish National Stud stallion Lucky Vega, who won the 2020 G1 Phoenix S.

Evan Arkwright, Racing and Sponsorship Manager the Curragh said, “We are very grateful to Mr. Zhang for selecting the Curragh for his first sponsorship in Ireland and appreciate his support of one of the most prestigious races in the Irish racing calendar. The association will further highlight the leading position that Yulong plays on the world's racing stage.”

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QuinnBet And The Curragh Partner On Three-Race Series

A new QuinnBet three-race handicap series at the Curragh was announced by the companies on Thursday.

QuinnBet, who partnered with the racecourse on this endeavour, will award a cash prize to the staff of the trainer who accumulates the highest number of points in the three handicaps. Points are earned for filling the first five places in specific handicaps on July 23, Aug. 12 and Oct. 7. In addition, QuinnBet will present prizes to the groom in charge of the horse judged to be best turned out in their three races.

Stephen Kelly, Director of QuinnBet said, “We are delighted to enter into our first partnership agreement with the Curragh which will provide us with a major platform to raise the profile of our brand. QuinnBet is proud to showcase our commitment to horse racing in Ireland with our sponsorships.”

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Observations: Book 1 Star Diego Velazquez Debuts at The Curragh

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Wednesday's insights features the debut of Book 1 star Diego Velazquez (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) in a salty maiden at The Curragh.

17.00 Curragh, Mdn, €16,500, 2yo, 7fT
DIEGO VELAZQUEZ (IRE) (Frankel {GB}) is the 11th foal out of the renowned Sweepstake (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), who has provided Ballydoyle with the top-class Australia duo Broome (Ire) and Point Lonsdale (Ire), with the latter having won this on his debut two years ago. By the sire of the family's G1 Irish Derby runner-up Rostropovich (Ire), the April-foaled bay was the second-highest-priced lot at the Book 1 Sale at 2.4million gns and Ryan Moore is in Kildare for the ride on what could easily be one of Aidan O'Brien's 2024 Classic prospects. In the maiden in which Lope Y Fernandez (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) earned TDN Rising Star status in 2020 and in which Crypto Force (GB) (Time Test {GB}) beat a luckless Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) last year, another to add intrigue is the Niarchos Family's Huxley (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a Donnacha O'Brien-trained half-brother to Cloth Of Stars (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}).

17.30 Curragh, Cond, €23,000, 2yo, 6fT
ALABAMA (IRE) (No Nay Never) is back after a break, having finished third at Cork in April as Ballydoyle's first juvenile runner of 2023. A half-brother to the G1 Phoenix S. and G2 Norfolk S.-winning sire Sioux Nation by No Nay Never's sire Scat Daddy, the January-foaled bay is joined by the stable's The Liffey (Ire) (No Nay Never), a half-brother to the Listed Dee S. winner San Antonio (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) out of the G1 Irish Oaks and G1 Pretty Polly S. runner-up Rain Goddess (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).

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