Classic redemption beckons for Field Of Gold in the Irish 2,000 Guineas
John and Thady Gosden's colt won two of his four outing as a juvenile and was most impressive in the Craven on his return to action. On the back of that, he was sent off favourite for the Newmarket 2000 Guineas but his late charge for glory came up just shy of Ruling Court.
He took a little time to find full stride on that occasion but finished off to great effect and there is every chance this track will help bring out the best in him. He probably isn't a mile ahead of the opposition, but his Newmarket effort sets the standard, and he can emulate his sire, Kingman, who won this in 2014.
Scorthy Champ and Expanded were disappointing at Newmarket and there wasn't enough in their efforts to suggest they could improve enough to win this just three weeks later. Hotazhell was a Group 1 winner at two and is interesting on his return to action, while the unbeaten Cosmic Year may carry his head high, but he is a smart sort, worthy of respect.
Windlord is one of the outsiders, and third choice of three in the Juddmonte colours, but he can outrun his odds. He isn't entirely straightforward, which he showed when hanging left in the straight at the end of the Classic Trial at Sandown, but he has plenty of ability and if allowed to race prominently and not in a pacemaker role, he could cause an upset.
The nap on the card goes to Himalayan Heights in the Tulfarris Hotel And Golf Resort Handicap. Always a smart sort, he looked much improved when winning on his return, after being gelded, and there is every reason to expect further improvement despite him having to run off a career-high mark of 93.
In the Group 2 Weatherbys Ireland Greenlands Stakes, Storm Boy is an obvious starting point, but the Australian import is hard to assess. The market will speak volumes with regard to his claims but regardless of which way he trends, Iberian makes plenty of each-way appeal. Unlucky last time, on his first run after wind surgery, the make-up of the race should suit, and he has leading claims.
Sunday is Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas day and Aidan O'Brien can claim an 11th win in the race courtesy of Lake Victoria. During her juvenile season, she won three Group 1s, but her trainer admitted from an early stage of this season that it would be a struggle to get her to the Newmarket Guineas.
In the end, she managed to turn up there but looked like a filly who badly needed the outing. Beaten just two and a half lengths into sixth place behind Desert Flower, she ran a superb race, and with much improvement expected, she will be hard to beat.
Flight, who finished runner-up in Newmarket, seems not to have been given the credit she deserves. She raced in a small group on the near side of the track, away from the group which contained five of the first six home, and ran a huge race to be beaten just a length by Desert Flower. She has the scope to improve further and should not be dismissed lightly.
The Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup is a superb race on paper, and it may pay to side with the only filly in the race, Kalpana.
The Andrew Balding-trained Juddmonte filly developed rapidly last season, and it culminated in that classy success in the Champion Stakes at Ascot. She is dropping back in trip just a touch but has always shown plenty of pace, so that shouldn't be an inconvenience. There is every reason to expect further progress from the four-year-old and she can prove too sharp for Los Angeles and White Birch.
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RTÉ News
3 days ago
- RTÉ News
Kalpana attempting to beat the boys in King George
Kalpana returns to the scene of her finest hour for a mouthwatering renewal of the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes. Andrew Balding's charge rounded off her three-year-old campaign with Group One success over the course and distance on Champions Day and has not done much wrong in two starts since, finishing third in the Tattersalls Gold Cup and then second in the Pretty Polly Stakes in Ireland. Back on home soil, Kalpana is the only filly in a field of five, with Oisin Murphy deputising in the saddle for the suspended Colin Keane. Barry Mahon, racing manager for owner-breeders Juddmonte, said: "We're all set for Saturday, I think we were hoping for a bit more rain than has actually fallen, but it is what it is and I'm sure it'll be nice ground on the day. "It's a top-class renewal, as you would expect for such a good race, but we're looking forward to partaking in it." Juddmonte's Bluestocking found only Goliath too strong in last year's King George before going on to win the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in the colours of the late Khalid Abdullah, who also claimed Ascot's midsummer highlight with Dancing Brave and superstar mare Enable, the latter on three occasions. Both of those equine greats also landed Europe's premier middle-distance contest, Enable doing so in successive years in 2017 and 2018, and a potential trip to Paris in early October has already been pencilled in for Kalpana ahead of what connections admit is a stern test this weekend. "Rebel's Romance is such a legend of a horse and Calandagan and Jan Brueghel are obviously very, very talented," Mahon added. "We think going back up to a mile and a half will suit our filly and Andrew said she worked well on Wednesday morning and he's very happy with her, so we're hopeful that her first two runs have set her up nicely for this." The top two in the market are Jan Brueghel and Calandagan, who renew rivalry after finishing first and second in the Coronation Cup at Epsom in early June. While Calandagan has since broken his top-level duck in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, Jan Brueghel has been kept fresh by Aidan O'Brien and is interestingly fitted with cheekpieces for the first time as he bids to provide his trainer with a fifth King George success. O'Brien, who also saddles the rank outsider and probable pacemaker Continuous, said: "Jan Brueghel is good, everything has gone well since the last day. "It will be an interesting race and the ground looks like it's going to be nice. "Continuous rolls along usually and he'll go forward, but if someone else wants to go on (and make the running), he'll be happy too." Francis Henri-Graffard's Calandagan has already shown his liking for Ascot, dominating his rivals in the King Edward VII Stakes at the Royal meeting last summer before finishing a close second to Anmaat in October's Champion Stakes. Buoyed by his long-awaited first Group One success on home soil four weeks ago, connections are excited to be heading back to Berkshire. Nemone Routh, racing manager for owners the Aga Khan Studs in France, said: "The horse is in very good form, he took his win at Saint-Cloud very well. I spoke with Mickael Barzalona who rode him in his last piece of work and he's very happy with him. "It's a small field, but he has to take on Jan Brueghel again and obviously Rebel's Romance was impressive last time out. "He doesn't have much ground to make up on Jan Brueghel and although they were calling the ground good to soft at Epsom, we felt it was riding softer that day. He handles softer ground so we can't use that as an excuse, but I just think maybe his acceleration is a a bit more decisive on firmer ground. "When it becomes a heavy-duty slugging match I'm not sure that's really his game, but when he can use his acceleration on good, fast ground I think that's when he's at his best." The small but select field is completed by Rebel's Romance, who has won seven Group Ones on foreign soil and bids to break his top-level duck at home following his course-and-distance success in last month's Hardwicke Stakes. Speaking on the Godolphin website, trainer Charlie Appleby said: "Rebel's Romance goes into this in great order. There was plenty of strength in depth in this contest 12 months ago, when he ran a good race (finished third), and it looks a similarly strong renewal this time around. "He is taking on younger opposition again but, wherever he finishes, the others will know that they have had a race."
Irish Times
3 days ago
- Irish Times
Jan Brueghel and Calandagan promise another memorable King George head-to-head
It's 50 years to the day since Ascot's King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes threw up the 'Race of the Century', and while Saturday's renewal isn't a classic renewal of British racing's midsummer highlight, it does hold the promise of another finish for the ages. It's not a classic King George scenario because no three-year-olds are taking on the handful of older runners that line up. Much of the appeal of that legendary Grundy vs Bustino clash from 1975 was the intergenerational element, which was part of the original race brief. But just two winners from the Classic generation in the last decade underlines how times have changed. Ultimately, though, the main reason that King George still resonates is the head-to-head factor. It's also why last month's Coronation Cup clash between Ireland's Jan Brueghel and France's Calandagan was so memorable. And now the pair go at it again in the richest race ever run at Ascot. The Godolphin team, with their globetrotting stalwart Rebels Romance, and Juddmonte, who pitch in the filly Kalpana, will fancy their chances of upsetting any duopoly. Nevertheless, there may be no more apt anniversary moment than another 'mano a mano' clash between the two horses that duked it out so memorably at Epsom. Aidan O'Brien has skipped the opportunity to do what once would have been almost preordained and isn't running his dual-Derby hero Lambourn. That was the route that O'Brien's first King George winner and Lambourn's legendary grandsire, Galileo, followed in 2001. There have been three more O'Brien-trained winners of the race since then, all older horses, and Jan Brueghel is another that looks to be maturing with time into a top middle-distance performer. He was one of Galileo's final Classic winners when victorious in last year's St Leger at Doncaster, but that Coronation Cup triumph took his form to another level again. If Calandagan looked the likely winner for much of that race, O'Brien's tactical aim to draw the French star into a final furlong arm-wrestle worked out perfectly. Jan Brueghel will be equipped with first-time cheekpieces on this occasion. Photograph: Inpho Briefly headed by Calandagan, Jan Brueghel's stamina eventually kicked in on the prevailing easy conditions and after a memorable duel he won out by half a length. Plenty of the post-race focus was on the runner-up's resolution or supposed lack thereof. Even jockey Mickael Barzalona got it in the neck in some quarters, although it was hard to see what else he could have done. Subsequently, the partnership got it spot on in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud where routing last year's Arc runner-up Aventure. Even further behind them was the 2024 King George winner Goliath. After a series of runner-up placings, it was a timely first Group One for Calandagan and if it indicated once again that he's a rather one-dimensional runner in having to be played late, the pay-off can be a devastating finishing burst. That turns this King George into a fascinating tactical quandary. Half a century ago, it was hell for leather from the start, whereas so much of this race could revolve around Jan Brueghel's stable companion Continuous. The 2023 Leger victor is again on pacemaker duties and fills out a field of proven Group One winners. He has been slowly away in some of his recent races, but on the back of having helped draw Calandgan's sting at Epsom, it would be a surprise if the same approach doesn't occur. What's different is much quicker ground and a track around which Calandagan has proven winning form, as do Rebel's Romance and Kalpana. It's a new test for Jan Brueghel and significantly he is equipped with first-time cheekpieces. The pay-off should the Irish horse win will be significant. At £1.5 million (more than €1.7 million), it is the richest race ever run at the famous track. Sixty-seven years after Ballymoss first won for Ireland, Jan Brueghel would be the 13th King George winner from this country. He would be the first since Daylami in 1999 to pull off the Coronation Cup – King George double in the same year. Five others have managed it too. And the colt would also be a first Leger winner to score since Conduit in 2009. Ryan Moore rode him, and Jan Brueghel has the English man on his back. Oisín Murphy has yet to win in three rides on Kalpana but teams up with the filly in Colin Keane's absence due to suspension. Victory for the Kerry man would provide a redemptive story considering the upheaval he's been involved with off the track in recent months. But the storyline that so many will hope to see is another dramatic finish to conjure memories of that 1975 King George epic. Round Two of last month's Coronation Cup would fit the bill nicely. On this occasion, though, it could be worth betting on some Calandagan revenge.
Irish Examiner
4 days ago
- Irish Examiner
Havana Anna repeats Naas success
A six-length winner of her maiden over course and distance last time, the Donnacha O'Brien-trained Havana Anna followed-up when registering a clearcut victory in the listed Arqana Irish EBF Marwell Stakes in Naas. Ridden by Gavin Ryan, the 6-4 favourite tracked a strong pace set by market rival Cardiff By The Sea before edging ahead a furlong and a half from home and drawing clear to beat Ipanema Queen by three and a half lengths. 'She's a smart filly and took the step-up in class well,' stated O'Brien. 'She's straight-forward and has loads of pace and, although she leans left under pressure, it doesn't stop her going forward. 'We'll have to look at the top five and six-furlong races with her now. She's in the Lowther. I'd like to think she can develop into a Cheveley Park filly and we can work back from there.' O'Brien and stable jockey Ryan completed a double when Irish 2,000 Guineas fifth Comanche Brave justified 4-7 favouritism in the VEI Global Race, coming from off the pace to beat Bravais by three-quarters of a length. 'That should give him a bit of confidence,' said O'Brien. 'Gavin gave him a lovely ride and feels he'd have no problem dropping back to six furlongs. But, for now, the plan is to go for the Platinum (seven furlongs) in Cork in a few weeks.' On his first visit to Naas, Tom Marquand landed the other listed prize on the card, the Yeomanstown Stud Irish EBF Stakes on board 11-10 favourite Sky Majesty, another Irish stakes-race winner for trainer William Haggas. Under a 7lb penalty, for her Group success last year, the Blue Point filly triumphed by three-quarters of a length after a protracted duel with Carla Ridge. Marquand said: 'She's a lovely filly and it was worth travelling over. We didn't go over-hard early, which didn't really suit her, but the stiff finish and ease in the ground helped. She was strong through the last furlong. The key to her is the ground. 'She has won in a better grade and it's nice to get her head in front again. I'm sure she'll step-up again now with this win under her belt.' The Fozzy Stack-trained newcomer Red Earth, a No Nay Never colt, ridden by Seamsi Heffernan, prevailed narrowly over Krasimir in the two-year-old maiden and will be aimed at the Goffs Million. Earlier, Henry de Bromhead declared it 'a brilliant day', having saddled a sparkling 34-1 treble in Wexford, two of his winners ridden by the season's leading rider Darragh O'Keeffe. On her second start over fences, Ma Belle Etoile took the Wexford Town Mares Beginners under O'Keeffe, who said: 'She travelled a lot better than in Tramore and felt like a different mare. She got a bit idle in front, but won nicely.' Having his first ride for the trainer, Paddy O'Brien delivered the second leg of De Bromhead's treble on board top-weight and 5-2 favourite Wonleg in the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Chase. Wonleg will head for Tramore, also the plan for Nouvotic who, as second leg of O'Keeffe's double, dug deep to master Palamon in the Beginners Chase. You Oughta Know and the De Bromhead-trained Le Coq Hardi dominated the market for the Forth Mountain Trails Beginners Chase but failed to cope with the Ray Cody-trained 22/1 shot War Correspondent, a first winner since turning professional for 7lb claimer Paddy Cody. And Gavin Brouder received a two-day whip ban following his success on the remarkably consistent, Mick Winters-trained Crowsatedappletart in the Wexford racecourse Supporters Club Handicap Chase.
