3 minute read

Starting off at The Curragh on Irish Oaks Day

The G2 Curragh Cup features two horses owned by Lloyd Williams and for whom the Melbourne Cup looks to be a potential destination.

They are Twilight Payment who won this race last year and comes in on 5/6 ahead of stablemate Master of Reality who was 4th in the Melbourne Cup 2019 and is on 5/2, both trained by Joseph O'Brien.  There's only 6 runners in the race which is over 2800m.

The Minstrel Stakes is also G2 over 1400m with 7 runners.  Lancaster House recently won the Gladness and is on 7/4  with Wayne Lordan doing the riding honours while Seamie Heffernan is quarantining after riding in France last weekend.  Romanised won the Irish 2000 Guineas in 2019 and the Jacques le Marois and is in close proximity to favouritism on 15/8 for Condon-Lee with Buffer Zone on 5/1 for Ger Lyons and Colin Keane.

The Railway is G2 for 2yos over 1200m with 7 runners.  Merchant's Quay is by No Nay Never out of a Peintre Celebre mare and is on 9/4 for Aidan O'Brien and Wayne Lordan.  Jessica Harrington's Lucky Vega is on 11/4 with Shane Foley partnering and Jim Bolger's Eastern Voice is our roughie here on 16/1.

The Irish Oaks is a race that brings back many happy memories especially when our friend Lin Clague's Winona won with Johnny Murtagh riding and John Oxx the trainer.  This year it looks to be between the Aidan O'Brien trained Ennistyman who will try to bring home the trainer's 6th win.  Wayne Lordan rides and they are on 9/4.  In close contention is Cayenne Pepper, on 7/4 for Jessica Harrington and Shane Foley.  The rest of the field is quite open and we will add Laburnum here with Declan McDonough riding the Aiden filly.