Jessica Harrington

Jessica Harrington has Classic glory in her sights with Royal Ascot scorer Magical Lagoon (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who is on course for a tilt at the G1 Juddmonte Irish Oaks at the Curragh on July 16.  A gritty winner of the G2 Ribblesdale S. at Ascot last month, Magical Lagoon will bid to make the step up to Group 1 company at the Curragh, with Harrington revealing that it's all systems go for the Irish Classic.  "That is the plan," the trainer said on Monday. "She's a very laid back...

Just over a week after selling the syndicate's flag-bearer Cadillac (Ire) (Lope De Vega) for a cool £500,000 at the Goffs London Sale on the eve of Royal Ascot, Alpha Racing are concentrated on sending out the stars of the future at the Curragh on Derby weekend, headed by G2 Airlie Stud S. contender It's Showtime Baby (GB) (Showcasing {GB}). A winner of a Dundalk maiden on debut back in April, the Jessica Harrington-trained It's Showtime Baby achieved black type when running third in a Group 3 at Naas last...

Adding to the remarkable diversity of the Platinum Jubilee Royal Ascot, Jessie Harrington became the 16th trainer to celebrate success from 17 races run by the time Yuesheng Zhang's Magical Lagoon (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) had prevailed in Thursday's G2 Ribblesdale S. Freshened for this following her second in Navan's Listed Salsabil S. over a mile and a quarter Apr. 23, the 11-4 second favourite tracked the pace in a distant third early and worked her way to the lead two out before Sea Silk Road (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire})...

Group 1 winner Discoveries (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) is set for the G1 Coronation S. at Royal Ascot in June, trainer Jessica Harrington revealed. The bay's full-sister Alpha Centauri (Ire) and half-sister Alpine Star (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) both won the contest in 2018 and 2020, respectively. She will attempt to become the third filly out of Alpha Lupi (Ire) (Rahy) to complete the hat trick in the Niarchos family's Flaxman colours. Harrington said, "The plan is to go to Ascot to get the three fillies to win the Coronation...

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...

His brother MV Magnier had for some time held sway at the top of the table at Tattersalls on Tuesday when buying Sunday Times for 1.8-million gns, and it was his Australian-based brother Tom Magnier's name on the ticket when the dust settled at 2-million gns for the multiple group-winning Cayenne Pepper (Ire) (Australia {GB}) (lot 1840) during a period of furious bidding at Park Paddocks. Magnier confirmed that Cayenne Pepper would remain in Ireland and be covered by Wootton Bassett next spring. Cayenne Pepper went through the ring for...

13.40 Leopardstown, Mdn, €16,500, 2yo, f, 7fT Flaxman Holdings Ireland's SIERRA NEVADA (American Pharoah) is a Jessica Harrington-conditioned daughter of Listed Prix de Bagatelle victrix Visions of Clarity (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) and thus a half-sister to MGISW GI Preakness S.-winning sire War of Will (War Front) and G1 Vincent O'Brien National S.-winning sire Pathfork (Distorted Humor). The homebred bay encounters a baker's dozen in this unveiling. 14.15 Leopardstown, Mdn, €16,500, 2yo, c/g, 7fT Coolmore and Westerberg's STAR OF INDIA (IRE) (Galileo {Ire}), one of two contenders representing Ballydoyle, is a...

Group 1-winning 2-year-old and Classic-placed 3-year-old Lucky Vega (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}-Queen Of Carthage, by Cape Cross {Ire}) will stand the Northern Hemisphere season at the Irish National Stud in 2022. He is currently serving his first book at Yulong Stud in Australia. Purchased by Yuesheng Zhang's Yulong Investments for €175,000 at the 2019 Goffs Orby Yearling Sale, Lucky Vega was a debut maiden winner at Naas last June for trainer Jessica Harrington. He won the G1 Phoenix S. in his third start, becoming the only son of Lope...

Group 1 winner No Speak Alexander (Ire) (Shalaa {Ire}--Rapacity Alexander {Ire}, by Dandy Man {Ire}) has been retired from racing and will begin broodmare duties from 2022, trainer Jessica Harrington announced via Twitter on Wednesday. Bred by Noel O'Callaghan's Mountarmstrong Stud, the €190,000 Goffs Orby RNA yearling raced for Charles, Noel and Paul O'Callaghan. She won at second asking at Roscommon last July and ran fourth in the G2 Prix du Calvados in August of 2020 before taking second in a listed race at Leopardstown that September. The bay ended...

Away from the hustle and bustle of Newmarket and ParisLongchamp, Killarney staged a relatively low-key card on Saturday but the opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden revealed one to generate excitement in new TDN Rising Star Caroline Herschel (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}). Homebred by Vimal and Gillian Khosla, the March-foaled chestnut started the mile contest as a 14-1 shot hailing from the in-form Jessica Harrington stable on what looked a demanding debut tackling some well-regarded colts. Worse than mid-division early, she had plenty to do at halfway but came on strong...

The Niarchos Family's Discoveries (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), a full-sister to multiple Group 1 winner Alpha Centauri (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), will not step out again in 2021 and will instead wait for the G1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas next year. Sunday's G1 Moyglare Stud S. heroine, also a half-sister to G1 Coronation S. winner Alpine Star (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ger}), does hold an entry in the Oct. 8 G1 bet365 Fillies' Mile at Newmarket. Connections were also considering a trip to France on Arc weekend or a run in the Breeders'...

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...