Irish 2000 Guineas

The TDN sat down with Irish pinhooker Norman Williamson for this last installment in the series presented in cooperation with the Consignors and Breeders Association (CBA). Through conversations with buyers and sellers, the series looks to contribute to the discussion on radiograph findings and their impact on racetrack success. The Oak Tree Farm of retired National Hunt jockey Norman Williamson and his wife Janet is responsible for Classic-winning graduates on both sides of the Atlantic. The operation sold future 2019 GI Preakness S. winner War of Will (War Front) and...

New Energy (Ire) (New Bay {GB}), the 40-1 runner-up behind Native Trail (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}) in the 2022 G1 Irish 2000 Guineas, will be gelded and will ultimately continue his career under the care of Ciaron Maher and David Eustace in Australia after being acquired by Jamie Lovett's Australian Bloodstock following a lengthy courtship. Trained in England by Sheila Lavery for her brother John, the £65,000 Tattersalls Goresbridge breezer won his maiden at first asking in June 2021, his lone victory to date, but he has run with credit...

Al Riffa (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), winner of last year's G1 National S. and ante-post favourite for Saturday's G1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas, has been ruled out of the race with "a little setback," the Irish Field reported. While announcing that the Jassim Bin Al-Attiyah-owned colt would not make the Curragh this weekend, trainer Joseph O'Brien remains confident that the colt will make the G1 St James's Palace S. on opening day of the Royal Ascot meeting June 20. He is a 6-1 chance for that mile test ante-post with...

The European champion 2-year-old of 2021, Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), is clearly the class act of the field as he bids to go one better than his runner-up finish in the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas. Should he do so, he would give his trainer an unprecedented third European Guineas victory with three different horses in the same season. Also represented is last year's winning owner/breeder/trainer combination of Jim and Jackie Bolger, while, at 420,000gns, Amo Racing's Malex (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) was the most expensive of the field to...

Two legends of Irish racing will join forces for the first time this season after Jim Bolger revealed that he has a 2-year-old filly by Holy Roman Emperor (Ire) in training with Kevin Prendergast. Bolger gave €31,000 for the recently named Roman Moon (Ire) after Prendergast recommended the filly at the Goffs Orby Sale last September and she is set to break new ground by becoming his first runner with the Friarstown operator. Roman Moon will carry the white and purple colours of Bolger's wife Jackie, once carried to major...

Last year's G1 Irish 2000 Guineas winner Mac Swiney (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) has been turned out since running in the G1 Hong Kong Cup in December and will return to training next week, trainer, owner and breeder Jim Bolger told the TDN. The 4-year-old, who also won the G1 Vertem Futurity Trophy and G2 Futurity S. at two, trailed in last of 12 at Sha Tin. "He didn't run well in Hong Kong and we don't know the reason for it," Bolger said. Mac Swiney's four career wins have...

Saturday's Curragh card which features the G1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas is in doubt after 35 millimetres of rain hit the track overnight Thursday. With a morning inspection called, chief executive Pat Keogh is hoping for a turnaround with the course currently waterlogged in places. "We got a lot more rain than we anticipated overnight. We were forecast 15 millimetres at the most in the last 24 hours," he explained on Friday. "It's come completely out of left field, unfortunately. The track would not be raceable today. We'll just have...

The breeding rights in Prince Khalid Abdullah's homebred Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas winner Siskin (First Defence) have been sold to "a group of breeders", Juddmonte confirmed on Monday. Speaking on Sky Sports Racing, Juddmonte's racing manager Teddy Grimthorpe said, "Obviously there have been various rumours and talk, so to confirm, breeding rights have been sold to him to a group of breeders. Confidentiality means I cannot say anything further. He will continue to race in the name and colours of Prince Khalid for his racing career." Unbeaten in five starts...

While Khalid Abdullah's unbeaten Siskin (First Defence) is the current favourite for Friday evening's €250,000 G1 Irish 2000 Guineas at The Curragh, the G2 Railway S. and G1 Phoenix S. winner is far from the certainty that Pinatubo (Ire) (Shamardal) appeared to be at Newmarket six days earlier and even that champion met with reversal at crunch-time. Connections will be hoping that the forecast rain does not make a major difference to the current fast conditions and the homebred enters his Classic test showing all the right signals. His biggest...

Khalid Abdullah's unbeaten Siskin (First Defence) will have 10 rivals to contend with in Friday evening's €250,000 G1 Irish 2000 Guineas at The Curragh after the draw was made on Wednesday. Successful in the G2 Railway S. and G1 Phoenix S. over six furlongs at the track last summer, the homebred is nevertheless on a retrieval mission having been taken out at the start of the G1 Middle Park S. at Newmarket when becoming upset in the stalls. Provided there is no repeat of that, he has a favourable draw...

Last year's G1 Keeneland Phoenix S. winner Siskin (First Defence) remains on course to kick off his 3-year-old season in the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas on June 12. Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager to owner Khalid Abdullah, said, "Providing Prince Khalid is happy, Siskin is heading to the Irish 2000 Guineas. [Trainer] Ger [Lyons] has been very positive and again everything has been straightforward and he is going really well. He has progressed well and though he will never be a big horse he has furnished nicely and Ger is very...

Sunday's Standard Chartered Champions and Chater Cup (2400m) at Sha Tin Racecourse is the last of 12 Group 1 events on the annual racing calendar in Hong Kong, one that has been significantly impacted first by social unrest in the region and more recently--and currently--by the COVID-19 pandemic. In many ways, Exultant (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) is emblematic of racing in the Special Administrative Region--a racehorse possessed of an iron constitution, showing up with his 'A' game time and again. One that can deliver his best even when the deck is...