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The Curragh is one of three flat fixtures across the UK and Ireland on Thursday and has been well-received with upwards of twelve entries in each race.
Sixteen fillies go to post in the 7f Donohue Marquees Irish EBF Fillies Maiden (1:15) and the market is expected to focus on the Aidan O’Brien trio, headed by the un-raced Everlasting. The filly is the pick of jockey Ryan Moore and boasts an enviable pedigree as a daughter of Irish 1000 Guineas second Could It Be Love, which makes her a half-sister to Irish Derby second Adelaide River. She is joined by stablemates Greenfinch and Osprey, who are both expected to improve considerably for their respective debut sevenths.
In such a large field at an undulating track, previous racecourse experience may prove key and Ger Lyons’ Wendla fits the bill. The daughter of Juddmonte’s Grade 1 winner Intercontinental, Wendla made a pleasing start to her career in a competitive Cork maiden when finishing second to Ezeliya, who started hot favourite from the Dermot Weld yard. Wendla was always prominent under Colin Keane, who retains the partnership, and made good headway in the final two furlongs to be beaten one length at the line. Further improvement is to be expected and she should be firmly in the mix.
WIN: WENDLA
Similar comments apply to the colts’ equivalent 7f Bill Hanlon Memorial Irish EBF Maiden (1:50), with Sheila Lavery’s relatively experienced Kortez Bay expected to be close at the finish. The son of New Bay was well-beaten into fourth behind the Group 1 placed Unquestionable on debut over six furlongs at the Curragh and followed up with the same position in an eighteen runner maiden. He was able to get considerably closer when one-and-three-quarter lengths fifth at Naas and steps up to seven furlongs for the first time. Breeding would suggest the colt will benefit for an additional stamina test, with half-sisters Lady Kaya and Lightship achieving Black Type form over a mile.
Of the three Aidan O’Brien runners, Psalm is expected to improve considerably for his debut fourth at Newmarket’s Rowley Mile. Ridden by Ryan Moore, the Sea The Stars colt was slow out of the stalls and appeared to show signs of greenness after three furlongs before weakening into fourth behind Broadway Boy. With O’Brien’s juveniles tending to come forward for their first run, the colt is expected to be involved in the closing stages with Ryan Moore aboard again.
WIN: KORTEZ BAY
A full field of twenty-one with reserves have been entered for the 1m4f Friarstown Stud Maiden (3:35), including an exciting prospect from the Joseph O’Brien yard. Agathon has not been seen on the racetrack since a debut fourth at Galway in late July but the Churchill colt shaped with considerable promise and could be an interesting runner. He showed plenty of inexperience over the one mile half-a-furlong trip, ducking right leaving the stalls before staying on in the closing stages to finish eight lengths behind in fourth.
The breeding gives mixed signals about the colt’s ideal trip. Although dam Arya Tara (owned and bred by the O’Brien family) won the 1m6f Listed Stanerra Stakes at Leopardstown, her first raced foal Agartha is a Group 2 winner over seven furlongs and continues to campaign at that level as a four-year-old for the same yard. Agathon’s debut would suggest he takes after the dam and the step up to 1m4f on his three-year-old reappearance is certainly a positive.
WIN: AGATHON
RACING & SPORTS SELECTIONS
RACE 1: WENDLA
RACE 2: KORTEZ BAY
RACE 3: RACING ROYALTY
RACE 4: ZEPHRON
RACE 5: TEORAMA
RACE 6: BRIGHT LEGEND
RACE 7: PACHMENA
RACE 8: MYMOMENTINTIME
