Tag: The Curragh

Can Tahiyra Make Amends For Guineas Eclipse?

Outbattled at Newmarket, The Aga Khan's Tahiyra (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) returns to The Curragh for what could prove ample compensation in Sunday's G1 Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas. Unable to provide Dermot Weld with that elusive 1000 Guineas victory, the G1 Moyglare S.-winning TDN Rising Star bids to give her trainer a sixth of these. “She was a bit tired after the race, but she travelled home on the ferry and came home well and then she has picked up nicely and we've been pleased with her,” her trainer said. “It was a massive performance.”

Meditate Looks For Revenge

Well adrift of Tahiyra in the 1000 Guineas, it will be interesting to see if Meditate (Ire) (No Nay Never) can get closer than in the Moyglare when she trailed her by 2 1/4 lengths on contrasting ground. Her subsequent success in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf showed how deadly she can be when the surface rides fast and she would not be the first Ballydoyle representative to come from an unplaced effort at Newmarket and return to winning ways in a Curragh equivalent. “Meditate is very classy, has always been very good, and everything has gone very well with her since Newmarket,” O'Brien said. “She didn't have a real clear run through the whole winter into the spring.”

Out Of The Silence

If Tahiyra and Meditate take prominence here, then Moyglare Stud's homebred Eternal Silence (War Front) has a squeak given that she was still a maiden when third behind them in the race named after her owner-breeder's operation. From the Jessie Harrington stable which can do no wrong at present, the daughter of the G2 Ribblesdale S. winner Princess Highway (Street Cry {Ire}) has the scope to have progressed markedly in the interim. “It's been a frustrating Spring with Eternal Silence, as she was meant to run in a few maidens but due to going we didn't run her,” Kate Harrington explained. “She goes there in great form. She was a big filly last season and she's really filled her frame out over the winter. She was a good third in the Moyglare last year behind Tahiyra and Meditate, has had a few racecourse gallops and we got there hopeful of a big run.”

Bernick At The Double

Craig Bernick's colours will be carried by both the Fozzy Stack-trained Aspen Grove (Ire) (Justify) and You Send Me (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), with the latter in joint-ownership with Cayton Park Stud and Linda Shanahan. She was taking on the older horses and colts when second in the G3 Amethyst S. at Leopardstown earlier this month, so has had an unusual prep but is not far off the principals on ratings.

French Classic Winners Back At The Fore

In the card's G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup, The Aga Khan's Vadeni (Fr) (Churchill {Ire}) looks to fend off Bay Bridge (GB) (New Bay {GB}) and Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) in what promises to be a blockbuster. Last year's G1 Prix du Jockey Club and G1 Eclipse S. hero has a run in the G1 Prix Ganay under his belt and unlike that race's third Bay Bridge may prefer this drier ground. “He has, in the past, liked this sort of fast-ish ground so he should be fine,” the owner-breeder's French racing and breeding manager Georges Rimaud said. “The horse is doing well, he has improved from his last race.” At Saint-Cloud, the G1 Prix de Diane and G1 Nassau S. heroine Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}) is back in the G2 Prix Corrida as she kickstarts a 4-year-old campaign that promises to be a bold one.

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Siyouni’s Paddington Wins The Irish 2000 Guineas

Saturday's G1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas at The Curragh was one for Ballydoyle, as TDN Rising Star Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) provided his stable with compensation for their Newmarket disappointment three weeks earlier. Prepared for this Classic “old-school style” via the Madrid H. and Listed Tetrarch S., the dark horse of the Rosegreen 3-year-old crop attracted support into 3-1 second favouritism and enjoyed a tow from fellow TDN Rising Star Hi Royal (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) throughout the early stages.

Putting the pressure on that 2000 Guineas runner-up three out, the bay gave generously for Ryan Moore to get on top a furlong from home and assert for a two-length success from Cairo (Ire) (Quality Road), who put the cherry on the cake in providing a one-two for the 12-times Irish 2000 Guineas-winning trainer Aidan O'Brien.

There was an inquiry, with Paddington having bumped the eventual third inside the last furlong, but the result was allowed to stand. Hi Royal faded late to be a further 3/4 of a length behind in third, with the well-backed 6-4 favourite Royal Scotsman (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) never a factor in ninth.

O'Brien has another top-class son of Siyouni on his hands in Paddington, whose sole defeat came when fifth on his introduction at Ascot in September prior to earning his TDN Rising Star tag back on home soil here in October. “We went to Ascot first time with him and he was very babyish, but he wintered very well and we were very happy with him in the Spring,” he explained. “He ended up in the Madrid on a lovely mark, it was a lovely place to start him as it was over seven furlongs, even though the ground was soft. Then he came back here and won the Tetrarch in soft ground again, so we weren't really sure about the ground with him. Obviously he's a Siyouni out of a Montjeu mare. He was always a beautiful mover, but you are never sure until they do it.”

“Seamus loved him the last day and he had been doing everything really nice since. He's a fine, big horse and is maturing very well. He's very good-looking,” the Ballydoyle handler added. “He was a little bit slow away, but Ryan got his position very quickly on him and he didn't light him up to do it. He's a very exciting horse. The St James's Palace looks like the natural progression for him, because he doesn't look short of speed even though he will get further in time.”

Pedigree Notes

Bred and raised at Monceaux for the Wildensteins, Paddington who was the joint-second highest-priced lot when realising €420,000 at the 2021 Arqana October Sale, is currently the last known foal out of the Listed Prix Belle de Nuit winner Modern Eagle (Ger) (Montjeu {Ire}). Her first progeny was Masterpiece (Fr) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), who was twice listed-placed in France while she is a daughter of the G1 Prix de Diane runner-up Millionaia (Ire) (Peintre Celebre) and a half to the Listed Vintage Tipple S. winner and G3 Loughbrown S.-placed Mighty Blue (Fr) by Montjeu's Authorized (Ire). Millionaia is out of the G1 Prix Saint-Alary heroine Moonlight Dance (Alysheba), who is also the second dam of the G2 Prix du Conseil de Paris scorer Ming Dynasty (Fr) (King's Best) while the fourth dam Madelia (Fr) (Caro) scored three times at the highest level including in the Diane.

Saturday, Curragh, Ireland
TATTERSALLS IRISH 2000 GUINEAS-G1, €500,000, Curragh, 5-27, 3yo, c/f, 8fT, 1:40.80, gd.
1–PADDINGTON (GB), 128, c, 3, by Siyouni (Fr)
1st Dam: Modern Eagle (Ger) (SW-Fr), by Montjeu (Ire)
2nd Dam: Millionaia (Ire), by Peintre Celebre
3rd Dam: Moonlight Dance, by Alysheba
TDN Rising Star. 1ST GROUP WIN; 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (€420,000 Ylg '21 ARQDOY). O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier, Westerberg & Peter Brant; B-Dayton Investments Ltd (GB); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. €285,000. Lifetime Record: 5-4-0-0, $381,722. *1/2 to Masterpiece (Fr) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), MSP-Fr. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Cairo (Ire), 128, c, 3, Quality Road–Cuff (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Westerberg; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €95,000.
3–Hi Royal (Ire), 128, c, 3, Kodiac (GB)–Majestic Roi, by Street Cry (Ire). TDN Rising Star. O-Jaber Abdullah; B-Rabbah Bloodstock Ltd (IRE); T-Kevin Ryan. €45,000.
Margins: 2, 3/4, HF. Odds: 3.00, 14.00, 5.50.
Also Ran: Charyn (Ire), Galeron (Ire), Quar Shamar (Ger), Proud And Regal (Ire), Alexander John (Ire), Royal Scotsman (Ire), Age Of Kings (Ire), Bold Discovery.

 

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‘My God They’re Racehorses’ – Bungle Inthejungle Colt Wins Marble Hill Stakes

Continuing the stellar form of the Jessie Harrington stable, Theresa Marnane's Givemethebeatboys (Ire) (Bungle Inthejungle {GB}–Dromana {Ire}, by Dutch Art {GB}) edged a thriller for Saturday's G3 GAIN Marble Hill S. at The Curragh. Off the mark a fortnight earlier at Navan, the 11-1 shot was towards the fore from the outset under Shane Foley before being left in front two out. Headed by TDN Rising Star and 13-8 favourite Noche Magica (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) a furlong later, the bay battled hard between that rival and Ballydoyle's Listed First Flier S. winner His Majesty (Ire) (No Nay Never) to get back up and beat Noche Magica by a head, with the same margin to His Majesty.

“He was very impressive when he won at Navan, a furlong down you'd think 'how is this horse going to win?' and he put his head down and galloped the whole way to the line,” Kate Harrington said of the winner, a bargain €11,000 Goffs Autumn Sale graduate. “He hated the ground that day and was green. He's learned an awful lot from that and will learn an awful lot from today, he'll be even more competitive the next day when we go to Ascot.”

Con Marnane added, “He was a cheap horse, Amy picked him out in Doncaster but he went lame, he got a foot abscess. I was gutted as he was my favourite horse at the sale, but we bought him at Goffs then in October. We've won all the good races at Ascot with horses we've sold, or whatever, but we haven't got the Coventry yet. This is our fella.”

Saturday, Curragh, Ireland
GAIN MARBLE HILL S.-G3, €60,000, Curragh, 5-27, 2yo, 6fT, 1:14.81, gd.
1–GIVEMETHEBEATBOYS (IRE), 131, c, 2, by Bungle Inthejungle (GB)
1st Dam: Dromana (Ire), by Dutch Art (GB)
2nd Dam: Tecla (Ire), by Whipper
3rd Dam: Mahalia (Ire), by Danehill
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (€15,000 Wlg '21 GOFNO1; €11,000 Ylg '22 GOAUYR). O-Mrs Theresa Marnane; B-Airlie Stud & Mrs S M Rogers (IRE); T-Jessica Harrington; J-Shane Foley. €36,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $48,859. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Noche Magica (Ire), 131, c, 2, Night Of Thunder (Ire)–Pious Alexander (Ire), by Acclamation (GB). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (£230,000 Ylg '22 GOFFUK). O-Mohammed Ahmad Ali Al Subousi; B-Mountarmstrong Stud & Alexander Bloodstock (IRE); T-Paddy Twomey. €12,000.
3–His Majesty (Ire), 131, c, 2, No Nay Never–Czabo (GB), by Sixties Icon (GB). 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (325,000gns Ylg '22 TATOCT). O-Smith, Magnier, Tabor, Westerberg & Brant; B-Newstead Ltd (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €6,000.
Margins: HD, HD, 2. Odds: 11.00, 1.63, 2.75.
Also Ran: Buyin Buyin (Ire), Valiant Force, Democracy (Ire).

 

Givemethebeatboys was named after the famous Uncle Kracker song, and after giving those in attendance a little taster in the Curragh parade ring, Marnane promised to give a full rendition of his favourite tune at Ascot should he win the Coventry. 

“I am emotional,” he added. “This little horse, I have been so lucky with Bungle Inthejungle. I had a very good filly by him last year, Funny Money Honey (Ire), and another very good one in Blame Thechampagne (Ire). 

“This horse had problems when we bought him. The poor lads that I bought him off, there's nothing I could do about it, but I basically got him at half price. They are great operators, the Brickley brothers, and they run a good ship at Ard Erin Stud. They will rightly get their name in lights because of this and they deserve it.  I hope they are here–they're probably in the bar and I'll be with them in a minute!”

The success of Givemethebeatboys was very much a family one with Marnane's daughter Amy picking the horse out at the sales and other daughter Olivia riding him out every day at Harrington's yard. 

As well as looking forward to Royal Ascot with Givemethebeatboys, Amy reflected on an “up and down year” at the breeze-ups, and explained how with a little bit of outside the box thinking, the family have a genuine Royal Ascot contender on their hands. 

She said, “I think he's a very good horse. He showed a lot of promise from very early on. We've only ever had two Bungles before this. One is a stakes winner in Doha and Funny Money Honey is the other. Mrs Harrington had her last year and here we go again with Givemethebeatboys. “We're going to go to the Coventry and try to do what we did with Different League (Fr) (Dabirsim {Fr}) [won the Albany S. at Royal Ascot in 2017].”

She added, “It's really difficult to get a Bungle Inthejungle into a breeze-up sale because they don't walk. They are not sales horses but my God they are racehorses.

“It has been an up and down year for us with the breezers. The buyers are gone so dependent on that clock and it makes it really difficult. Let's say this horse for example, if we sent him to a breeze-up sale he wouldn't have clocked. It's really difficult and some of the horses in the breeze-ups, their sale date is the Derby. We train these horses ourselves so, if we don't make the breeze-up sale, we can race them.”

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Can Royal Scotsman Deliver in the Irish Guineas?

There was a time around three decades ago when Paul Cole's name was synonymous with the turf's leading lights left, right and centre around Europe. Over 30 years on from his last win in any of the British, Irish or French Classics, the Whatcombe Estate frontiersman who now runs his stable along with son Oliver has found one again. Not since the heady days of Generous (Ire) and co has the Berkshire stable been as electrified as it is at present thanks to Royal Scotsman (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) and it is with great expectations and some jitters that they await the reckoning of Jim and Fitri Hays' flag-bearer  in Saturday's G1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas at The Curragh.

What is beyond doubt is that Royal Scotsman is a class act, with his close second to Chaldean (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in the G1 Dewhurst S. possibly even better form than his third in the 2000 Guineas itself, with the Newmarket Classic's cutting edge blunted by nagging heavy rain. When the sun burned and the turf rode slick at the Goodwood Festival in July, he was able to take apart the six-furlong G2 Richmond S. with pace that will be lethal if he can carry it this far.

Strongly-supported by the hard hitters on Friday, Royal Scotsman will most likely head to post the favourite and Oliver Cole is abuzz with the cross-sea travelling having gone to plan. “He's in great form, he left for Ireland on Thursday night and arrived Friday morning and has eaten up, so we couldn't be happier with him,” he said. “To do what he did at Newmarket, to be keen and pull for four furlongs and then finish shows he's pretty good. He broke the track record in the Richmond at Goodwood and he was in the second-fastest ever Dewhurst–his sectionals were amazing after the first furlong. He is a very, very good horse, everything just needs to go right for him.”

A Classic Conundrum...
While it is too early to say, the 2000 Guineas looks far from vintage at this stage and this version follows the same narrative on paper at least. Newmarket's Classic was stacked even more than usual with fast colts, who bar Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) seemed the most exciting of those lining up but so many hopes were ultimately dashed as the ground deepened and stretched staying power all around. While the Irish 2000 is set to take place on far livelier terrain, those who helped light up the Classic three weeks ago are already firmly on the road to the Commonwealth Cup.

So what are we left with? TDN Rising Star Hi Royal (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) exceeded all expectations to be an errant second, one of a long line of rank outsiders to make the frame in the Guineas, but it is impossible to tell how he will back up here. Royal Scotsman may have been third after over-racing, but he far from convinced with how well he ultimately saw out the mile.

The O'Brien Factor…
Six of the last 10 winners of this hadn't been to Newmarket, which of course brings in the Aidan O'Brien contingent (is there ever a time when they could be safely counted out?) and in particular the Listed Tetrarch S.-winning TDN Rising Star Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) with all his upside. While he will have his many supporters, it is perhaps Donnacha who has charge of the colt with all the boxes ticked. Step forward Proud And Regal (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who went the Mac Swiney route of Leopardstown's G3 Derby Trial only to fall short against Jessie Harrington's genuine Derby contender Sprewell (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}).

Proud And Regal won on debut here in June, went too fast early in the Futurity on his second visit and already needed further than seven furlongs when denied in the Vincent O'Brien National S. tackling the Kildare venue for the third time. His one try at a mile yielded a Criterium International, but the heavy ground there would have been against the chestnut son of Simply Perfect (GB) (Danehill) so his defeat of Ballydoyle's classy Espionage (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) could even be upgraded.

In The Fast Lane…
A Classic is a Classic, but few would forgive those who are placing Haydock's G2 Sandy Lane S. over the Curragh feature on Saturday, such is the pull of the 3-year-old sprinting generation this year. As mentioned above, the Guineas boasted the likes of Noble Style (GB) (Kingman {GB}), Sakheer (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) and Little Big Bear (Ire) (No Nay Never) and while the former has since disappointed, the latter is very much alive and kicking in the category. This is a case of clean slate for the brilliant juvenile of 2022, who has everything in his favour and defeat here will not be enough to stop the worries that he is not the force he was. Physically, the beast who took apart the Phoenix assembly including the beleaguered fellow TDN Rising Star Bradsell (GB) (Tasleet {GB}) must be at least as good this year and with the calendar stacked against Ryan Moore, it is Frankie who gets to push the buttons for possibly the only time. Lucky man.

What Now For Bradsell?
We see it every year. A wide-margin, dynamic Spring success for a juvenile blessed with “early”, possibly a Royal Ascot sprint wrapped up while that precocity still dominates and then a slow slide into the wilderness. For Bradsell, the latter scenario has thankfully not played out with injury stopping him after his unlucky experience in the Phoenix and a highly respectable comeback effort in Ascot's G3 Pavilion S. last month. While the re-opposing winner Cold Case (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) had his measure that day, Victorious Racing's Coventry hero is on a sounder surface here and Archie Watson has him in a good place. “He travelled very well at Ascot and got a bit tired late, which was to be expected,” he said. “I hope he can take a good step forwards fitness-wise from there. It looks a very strong trial for the Commonwealth Cup. I'd say whatever wins will be the one to beat at Ascot, so at least we'll all know after the weekend.”

Back In Her Comfort Zone?
One of the big performances of the two Guineas at Newmarket was that of Matilda Picotte (Ire) (Sioux Nation) in the 1000 as she effectively “won” the race behind Mawj (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) and Tahiyra (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) despite having appeared to have gone off too quickly. Having been third in the Lowther when possibly York's fast six furlongs proved too slick, she made all in Newmarket's Listed Bosra Sham Fillies' S. as the ground eased in the autumn so it is a question of whether it will all be happening too quickly again here. “Her Guineas run puts her in the picture and we should be bang there,” trainer Kieran Cotter said. “In an ideal situation we would have liked a bit of rain, but she handled quick ground when she ran at York in the Lowther and she is pretty versatile.”

Fields Of Stars…
Saturday's cluttered action across Britain and Ireland requires a whistle-stop preview and much analysis after with Royal Ascot particularly in mind. The Curragh's card sees the TDN Rising Stars Noche Magica (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) and Democracy (Ire) (No Nay Never) go the “Blackbeard route” to Berkshire, while the G1 Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp heroine The Platinum Queen (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}) makes her debut for Katsumi Yoshida and Roger Varian in Haydock's G2 Temple S. White Birch Farm's unbeaten Prince of Wales's S. and Eclipse entry Francesco Clemente (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) faces his first black-type test in Goodwood's Listed Festival S., while York's G3 Bronte Cup plays host to George Strawbridge's G2 Park Hill S.-winning 4-year-old Mimikyu (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). Her sister Journey (GB) really got going at that age, so its still all to play for the quirky but talented representative of the Gosdens.

Tahiyra Heads Sunday Delights…
Dermot Weld would have been heartened by the inside draw handed to Tahiyra (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) in Sunday's G1 Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas at The Curragh as The Aga Khan's TDN Rising Star was the key member of the 10-strong cast confirmed on Friday. Also set to be represented by live contender Tarawa (Ire) (Shamardal), the Rosewell House handler has booked Billy Lee for that G3 Cornelscourt S. runner-up. Aidan O'Brien's trio is headed by Tahiyra's old rival Meditate (Ire) (No Nay Never), who is alongside the likely favourite in two and set for a Moyglare rematch on the faster ground she relishes so that scores can finally be settled. A thrilling G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup was confirmed, with Vadeni (Fr) (Churchill {Ire}), Bay Bridge (GB) (New Bay {GB}) and Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) good to go in the first big older horse encounter of the European season.

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