The Curragh

TDN Rising Star Hi Royal (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) will bid to go one better than his second placing in the G1 2000 Guineas on Saturday, as Jaber Abdullah's homebred headed 11 runners for the Curragh's G1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas. Reunited with Oisin Murphy, who steered him at Newmarket, the Kevin Ryan trainee received the favourable inside stall two with Fitri Hay's Guineas third Royal Scotsman (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) in seven under Jamie Spencer. He is deputising for the Paul and Oliver Cole-trained colt's regular rider Jim Crowley, who is...

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. Sunday's Insights features the return of TDN Rising Star River Tiber (Ire) (Wootton Bassett ({GB}) at Naas. 13.45 Naas, Cond, €40,000, 2yo, 5fT RIVER TIBER (IRE) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) is dropped back slightly in trip by Aidan O'Brien following his 10-length demolition job at Naas last month, for which...

Novibet has been named the official betting partner of the 2023 Tattersalls Irish Guineas Festival at the Curragh Racecourse, the company announced on Friday. It will be a named sponsor of six of the races across the three days from May 26-28 including Friday's feature, the Novibet Emerald Mile, as well as Saturday's Novibet Guineas Festival Premier H. Karl Riley, Novibet's Ireland Country Manager, said, "We are delighted to be named as the Official Betting Partner of this year's Irish Guineas Festival in what is the biggest horse racing sponsorship...

Group 1 winner Proud And Regal (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), third in Leopardstown's G3 Derby Trial S., will cut back in trip for the G1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas in late May, trainer Donnacha O'Brien revealed on Tuesday. "I thought he travelled really well [at Leopardstown]," said O'Brien. "There's definitely a chance that he will get 10 furlongs and we could be going back there after the Guineas, but the plan is to go to the Curragh for the Irish Guineas." Raced by the Coolmore partners, the 2022 G1 Criterium International...

Maintaining the Ballydoyle momentum at The Curragh on Monday, TDN Rising Star Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}--Modern Eagle {Ger}, by Montjeu {Ire}) justified 5-6 favouritism with a degree of comfort in the Listed Coolmore Stud Blackbeard Irish EBF Tetrarch S. to point the way to the upcoming mile Classics. Coming off a win in the Madrid Handicap at Naas, the bay who was bred and raised at Monceaux for the Wildensteins tracked the leading pair up to a mile for the first time before being coaxed to the front by Seamie...

Four withdrawals marred The Curragh's Listed GAIN First Flier S., with the winners and likely favourites Bucanero Fuerte (GB) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) and Noche Magica (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) among them, resulting in the bizarre circumstance of just five runners with two outings between them. In the event, it was the three newcomers who filled the frame with Ballydoyle's His Majesty (Ire) (No Nay Never--Czabo {GB}, by Sixties Icon {GB}) coming out on top to provide the stable with back-to-back renewals. Looking set to play a bit-part at best...

If there were any fitness doubts about TDN Rising Star Point Lonsdale (Ire) (Australia {GB}--Sweepstake {Ire}, by Acclamation {GB}) ahead of Sunday's G3 Alleged S. at The Curragh, they were answered categorically as Ballydoyle's almost-forgotten talent worked hard to prevail and get back on track on his comeback. Set a stiff task by the race-hardened Visualisation (Ire) (No Nay Never) as that Listed Devoy S. winner took no prisoners on the front end, the 2021 G2 Futurity S.-winning full-brother to stable stalwart Broome (Ire) was kept close by Wayne Lordan...

The Goffs Million, the richest 2-year-old race in Europe, will be rebranded as the Goffs Two Million Series at the 2023 Goffs Orby Sale, the sales company announced on Friday. In addition, the Orby and Sportsman's Sales will now be known as Orby Book 1 and Orby Book 2 and will be held from Sept. 26-29. The series is open to all yearlings catalogued in the 2023 Goffs Orby Book 1 and Book 2, and more than 1,000 yearlings will be offered across the two books. The 2023 seven-furlong Goffs...

Juddmonte and Keeneland have renewed their sponsorships of the Curragh's G1 Irish Oaks and G1 Phoenix S., respectively. The feature race of the two-day Juddmonte Irish Oaks Weekend on Saturday, July 22, the Juddmonte Irish Oaks has been won three times by horses carrying the Juddmonte colours with Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) (2017), Bolas (GB) (Unfuwain) (1994) and Wemyss Bight (GB) (Dancing Brave) in 1993. Currently there are 87 first entries for the €500,000 summer Classic, including Juddmonte's debut winner Bluestocking (GB) (Camelot {GB}). Juddmonte started as the sponsor of...

Dubai Duty Free will continue their sponsorship of the G1 Irish Derby, as they renewed their partnership with the Curragh, the duo announced on Tuesday. In addition, the prize-money for the Irish Classic will increase from€1 million to €1.25 million in 2023, and five additional races will be sponsored by the airport retailer. For the first time since 2011, the Irish Derby will take place on a Sunday, with 2023's date set to be July 2. The full eight-race card will also become a permanent part of the Hong Kong...

   Still a maiden entering Saturday's G3 Staffordstown Stud S. at The Curragh, Michael O'Flynn's Lumiere Rock (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) stepped up to make all and shed that status in style for the Joseph O'Brien stable. Let go at 11-1, the 55,000gns Book 2 graduate was committed by Mikey Sheehy and relished the front-running role, giving plenty when briefly headed 1 1/2 furlongs out by Speirling Beag (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) who had beaten her last time over this mile trip at Gowran Park Sept. 17 and securing a 1...

A day after Ballydoyle had demonstrated the power of their 2-year-old reserves at Newmarket, Espionage (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) became the stable's 11th TDN Rising Star juvenile of 2022 in The Curragh's opening maiden on Sunday. Unlucky on debut when runner-up to stablemate and fellow TDN Rising Star Alexandroupolis (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) over an extended mile at Galway Sept. 6, the son of the G2 Ribblesdale S. winner Even Song (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) was sent forward by Ryan Moore dropping back to seven for this Williamhill.ie Irish EBF Maiden. Clear from...