By Sean Cronin
Aidan O'Brien had annexed six of the last 10 renewals of the Curragh's Juddmonte Irish EBF Maiden, among them 2013 winner Australia (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), and he claimed Saturday's latest edition with Henry Longfellow (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who collected a 'TDN Rising Star' rosette with a taking performance in the seven-furlong test.
The eventual winner was steadily away and raced in a close-up third initially and eased into second approaching halfway. Hitting the front soon after passing the quarter-mile marker, the well-backed 5-4 favourite was never seriously threatened thereafter and kept on powerfully under mild coaxing inside the final furlong to easily outpoint G2 Railway S. fifth Mythology (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) by 1 3/4 lengths.
“He's an exciting type of horse and I'm delighted with him,” the winning trainer said. “He's a Dubawi out of Minding and he looks a lovely horse. Minding handled that [soft] ground and he does bend his knee a bit, but he quickens. Ryan [Moore] said it was very easy, he didn't touch him with the stick and was very happy with him. He had been working well and he just came on the scene lately. For the last three weeks, week after week, he was working well.”
Henry Longfellow is the second of four foals and first runner produced by seven-time Group 1 heroine Minding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), herself a full-sister to G1 Oaks and GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf victrix Tuesday (Ire), G1 Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Empress Josephine (Ire) and G3 Derrinstown Stud 1000 Guineas Trial winner Kissed By Angels (Ire). The January-foaled bay is full to a yearling filly and half to a weanling filly by Wootton Bassett (GB). Minding, herself a daughter of G1 Coronation S. and G1 Matron S. winner Lillie Langtry (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), was bred to Gun Runner this year.
1st-Curragh, €20,000, Mdn, 7-22, 2yo, c/g, 7fT, 1:28.58, sf.
HENRY LONGFELLOW (IRE), c, 2, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Minding (Ire) (MG1SW-Eng & Ire, $3,213,340), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Lillie Langtry (Ire), by Danehill Dancer (Ire)
3rd Dam: Hoity Toity (GB), by Darshaan (GB)
Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $13,351. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Mrs John Magnier; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore.
😍 We've seen a good one here
Henry Longfellow (Dubawi) is out of multiple G1 scorer Minding & is poetry in motion on debut for team @Ballydoyle & Ryan Moore in the opener at the @curraghrace
A 1-2-3 for the Coolmore Partnership too! pic.twitter.com/d3zqyCn0eV
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 22, 2023
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