Curragh Saturday tips and race card - list of runners for Pretty Polly Stakes
The Andrew Balding-trained Kalpana is expected to land the Group 1 Paddy Power Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh.
The only Group 1 winner in the field, the Juddmonte filly,– progressive last season – will be ridden for the first time by her owner's new retained rider Colin Keane and might prove too strong for her six rivals – which include two classy three-year-olds, Twirl and Wemightakedlongway.
A daughter of Study Of Man, Kalpana improved through the ranks last season, winning a Newmarket handicap off 78 in April, and ended her campaign with victory in the Group 1 Qipco British Champions Filly & Mares Stakes at Ascot in October, beating AidanO'Brien's Wingspan by two lengths.
In between, she finished third in Royal Ascot's Ribblesdale before making her stakes-race breakthrough in the listed Glasgow Stakes at Hamilton – which she followed up by proving a wide-margin winner of the Group 3 Unibet September Stakes at Kempton Park.
Her Ascot success, in soft ground, proved the filly's improvement. And on her 2025 seasonal debut, she performed creditably over this course and distance when, having led early, she stayed on late to finish third – beatena a length and a half behind Los Angeles and Anmaat in theTattersalls Gold Cup last month.
A Group winner over a mile and a half, Kalpana boasts rock-solid form over 10 furlongs and, having performed well against the boys last time, she should prove very tough to beat in this fillies-only contest.
The Nicolas Clement-trained Survie, a Group 2 winner, carries French hopes.
But the biggest threat to Kalpana should be O'Brien's Betfred Oaks runner-up Twirl, bidding to give her trainer a first Pretty Polly success since Minding in 2020.
A Group 3 winner last autumn and successful in the Musidora at York ahead of her Oaks bid, she forced the pace at Epsom and was only collared by stable-companion Minnie Hauk inside the final furlong – going down by just a neck.
Clearly progressive, Twirl boasts a rating of 113 and is a serious contender. But the older Kalpana is preferred.
Joseph O'Brien's Wemightakedlongway, a Group 3 winner in Navan before being beaten over five lengths when fifth in the Epsom Oaks, will have her supporters too, along with the Munster Oaks (Group 3) heroine Magical Hope, representing Paddy Twomey.
And Henry de Bromhead's Higher Leaves, successful at listed and Group 3 level in France last year, probably needs to step-up
Here's a list of the runners and riders, as well as a tip for each race:
1.15pm: 7f Barronstown Stud Irish EBF (C & G) Maiden (2yo)
1 Al Haarith (IRE) Dylan McMonagle2 All Hail (IRE) Billy Lee3 Benvenuto Cellini (IRE) Wayne Lordan4 Dorset (IRE) Ryan Moore5 Hamiyan (FR) Chris Hayes6 Jordi Bear (IRE) Seamie Heffernan7 Mr Vettori (IRE) Shane Foley8 New Zealand (IRE) Ronan Whelan9 Palace Tyne (IRE) James Ryan (3)10 South Island (IRE) Gavin Ryan11 Swinging The World (IRE) Ross Coakley12 The Holy Apostle (IRE) Luke McAteer13 Unbreakable Duke (IRE) K J Leonard
Peter O'Hehir's tip: Dorset
1.45pm: 6f Airlie Stud Stakes (Group 2) (Fillies) (2yo)
1 Artista (IRE) Dylan McMonagle2 Beautify (IRE) Ryan Moore3 Lady Iman (IRE) Colin Keane4 Leblon Queen (IRE) Chris Hayes5 Luna Mia Ronan Whelan6 Skydance Billy Lee
Peter O'Hehir's tip: Lady Iman
2.20pm: 6½f (6f63y) Jebel Ali Racecourse And Stables Anglesey Stakes (Group 3) (2yo)
1 Flushing Meadows (USA) Ryan Moore2 Killourney Reigns (IRE) Ben Coen3 Stop The Nation (IRE) James Ryan4 She's Too Kool (IRE) Rory Cleary5 Suzie Songs (IRE) Colin Keane
Peter O'Hehir's tip: Flushing Meadows
2.55pm: 1m2f Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai International Stakes In Honour Of Kevin Prendergast (Group 3) (3yo+)
1 Trustyourinstinct (IRE) Dylan McMonagle2 Deepone Billy Lee3 Layfayette (IRE) Colin Keane4 Elizabeth Jane (IRE) Chris Hayes5 Roosevelt Wayne Lordan6 Gotomylovely (IRE) Seamie Heffernan
Peter O'Hehir's tip: Trustyourinstinct
3.30pm: 1m2f Paddy Power Pretty Polly Stakes (Group 1) (Fillies & Mares) (3yo+)
1 Higher Leaves (IRE) Shane Foley2 Jancis (IRE) Ben Coen3 Kalpana Colin Keane4 Magical Hope Billy Lee5 Survie (IRE) Stephane Pasquier6 Wemightakedlongway (IRE) Dylan McMonagle7 Whirl (IRE) Ryan Moore
Peter O'Hehir's tip: Kalpana
4.05pm: 1m2f Sherry FitzGerald Country Homes Ladies Derby Handicap (4yo+)
1 Longbourn (IRE) Sorcha Woods (7)2 Masoun (FR) Elizabeth Gale (7)3 Final Voyage (IRE) Miss Georgie Benson (7)4 Bear Profit (IRE) Nicola Burns (7)5 Fiver Friday (IRE) Miss S A Carter (7)6 Solomon Sadhbh Tormey (7)7 Tatateo (IRE) Miss J Townend8 The Real Screamer (IRE) Miss A B O'Connor (3)9 Moonlit Mist (IRE) Neve Bennett (7)10 Secret World (IRE) C J Worrell (7)11 Loingseoir (IRE) Gabriella Hill (7)12 Hemight (IRE) Sylvia O'Donnell (7)13 Desert Friend (IRE) Miss H M Smullen (7)14 Breathe Again (IRE) R Donaghue-Leahy (7)
Peter O'Hehir's tip: Masoun
4.40pm: 6f Fitzpatrick's Mercedes-Benz Handicap (3yo+)
1 Daamberdiplomat (IRE) Ben Coen2 Collective Power (IRE) Colin Keane3 Jon Riggens (IRE) James Ryan (3)4 Back Down Under (IRE) Leigh Roche5 Brigid's Cloak P McGettigan (7)6 Airspeed (IRE) Sorcha Woods (7)7 Never Shout Never (IRE) J Kearney (3)8 Cold Hearted (IRE) Shane Foley9 Saturn Seven (IRE) Chris Hayes10 Gordon Bennett (IRE) Niall McCullagh11 Rappell (IRE) Dylan McMonagle12 Tawaazon (IRE) Keithen Kennedy (5)13 Manhattan Chute (IRE) Wayne Lordan14 Verified (IRE) R M Mulligan (7)
Peter O'Hehir's tip: Back Down Under
5.15pm: 6f Keadeen Hotel Irish EBF Maiden (3yo+)
1 Bennu (IRE) Leigh Roche2 Best Suggestion (IRE) Gary Carroll3 Colter Bay (FR) A Browne-Souza (10)4 Describe Donagh O'Connor5 Dreaminthejungle (IRE) James Ryan (3)6 Eichan San (IRE) Ronan Whelan7 Men Of Honour (IRE) Andy Slattery8 Naples (IRE) Billy Lee9 Radient Man (IRE) Shane Foley10 Sun Soldier (IRE) Ben Coen11 Washington Street (IRE) Colin Keane12 Angel Of Promise (IRE) Joseph Sheridan13 Charasson (IRE) Seamie Heffernan14 Grown Ups (IRE) R M Mulligan (7)15 Lady Crossing (IRE) Gavin Ryan16 Mise Freisin (IRE) Chris Hayes17 Stella Alpina (IRE) Nathan Crosse18 Suerte (IRE) Rory Cleary
Peter O'Hehir's tip: Sun Soldier
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Irish Daily Mirror
7 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
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Because, with Paul Geaney, Seanie O'Shea and Paudie Clifford, I think Kerry have better supporting forwards. 'Look at Dublin's two-pointer total. It's terrible and that's down to a lack of confidence in their forwards. Without Con, the attack can lose all cohesion.' With Clifford, the Fossa master who seems to deliver a Mona Lisa almost every time he steps behind the easel, the Alpha and Omega argument is not one that can easily be trampled underfoot. He glided into our world as a wunderkind, a teenage divinity, scorer of 4-4 in an All-Ireland minor final, his reputation dwarfing even Carrauntoohil. Somehow, even the ear-splitting drumroll that accompanied the Chosen One onto the stage, understated his ability to cause our eyeballs, as one observer of Roger Federer famously commented, to protrude like novelty-shop eyeballs. 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Irish Daily Mirror
8 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Curragh Saturday tips and race card - list of runners for Pretty Polly Stakes
The Andrew Balding-trained Kalpana is expected to land the Group 1 Paddy Power Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh. The only Group 1 winner in the field, the Juddmonte filly,– progressive last season – will be ridden for the first time by her owner's new retained rider Colin Keane and might prove too strong for her six rivals – which include two classy three-year-olds, Twirl and Wemightakedlongway. A daughter of Study Of Man, Kalpana improved through the ranks last season, winning a Newmarket handicap off 78 in April, and ended her campaign with victory in the Group 1 Qipco British Champions Filly & Mares Stakes at Ascot in October, beating AidanO'Brien's Wingspan by two lengths. In between, she finished third in Royal Ascot's Ribblesdale before making her stakes-race breakthrough in the listed Glasgow Stakes at Hamilton – which she followed up by proving a wide-margin winner of the Group 3 Unibet September Stakes at Kempton Park. Her Ascot success, in soft ground, proved the filly's improvement. And on her 2025 seasonal debut, she performed creditably over this course and distance when, having led early, she stayed on late to finish third – beatena a length and a half behind Los Angeles and Anmaat in theTattersalls Gold Cup last month. A Group winner over a mile and a half, Kalpana boasts rock-solid form over 10 furlongs and, having performed well against the boys last time, she should prove very tough to beat in this fillies-only contest. The Nicolas Clement-trained Survie, a Group 2 winner, carries French hopes. But the biggest threat to Kalpana should be O'Brien's Betfred Oaks runner-up Twirl, bidding to give her trainer a first Pretty Polly success since Minding in 2020. A Group 3 winner last autumn and successful in the Musidora at York ahead of her Oaks bid, she forced the pace at Epsom and was only collared by stable-companion Minnie Hauk inside the final furlong – going down by just a neck. Clearly progressive, Twirl boasts a rating of 113 and is a serious contender. But the older Kalpana is preferred. Joseph O'Brien's Wemightakedlongway, a Group 3 winner in Navan before being beaten over five lengths when fifth in the Epsom Oaks, will have her supporters too, along with the Munster Oaks (Group 3) heroine Magical Hope, representing Paddy Twomey. And Henry de Bromhead's Higher Leaves, successful at listed and Group 3 level in France last year, probably needs to step-up Here's a list of the runners and riders, as well as a tip for each race: 1.15pm: 7f Barronstown Stud Irish EBF (C & G) Maiden (2yo) 1 Al Haarith (IRE) Dylan McMonagle2 All Hail (IRE) Billy Lee3 Benvenuto Cellini (IRE) Wayne Lordan4 Dorset (IRE) Ryan Moore5 Hamiyan (FR) Chris Hayes6 Jordi Bear (IRE) Seamie Heffernan7 Mr Vettori (IRE) Shane Foley8 New Zealand (IRE) Ronan Whelan9 Palace Tyne (IRE) James Ryan (3)10 South Island (IRE) Gavin Ryan11 Swinging The World (IRE) Ross Coakley12 The Holy Apostle (IRE) Luke McAteer13 Unbreakable Duke (IRE) K J Leonard Peter O'Hehir's tip: Dorset 1.45pm: 6f Airlie Stud Stakes (Group 2) (Fillies) (2yo) 1 Artista (IRE) Dylan McMonagle2 Beautify (IRE) Ryan Moore3 Lady Iman (IRE) Colin Keane4 Leblon Queen (IRE) Chris Hayes5 Luna Mia Ronan Whelan6 Skydance Billy Lee Peter O'Hehir's tip: Lady Iman 2.20pm: 6½f (6f63y) Jebel Ali Racecourse And Stables Anglesey Stakes (Group 3) (2yo) 1 Flushing Meadows (USA) Ryan Moore2 Killourney Reigns (IRE) Ben Coen3 Stop The Nation (IRE) James Ryan4 She's Too Kool (IRE) Rory Cleary5 Suzie Songs (IRE) Colin Keane Peter O'Hehir's tip: Flushing Meadows 2.55pm: 1m2f Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai International Stakes In Honour Of Kevin Prendergast (Group 3) (3yo+) 1 Trustyourinstinct (IRE) Dylan McMonagle2 Deepone Billy Lee3 Layfayette (IRE) Colin Keane4 Elizabeth Jane (IRE) Chris Hayes5 Roosevelt Wayne Lordan6 Gotomylovely (IRE) Seamie Heffernan Peter O'Hehir's tip: Trustyourinstinct 3.30pm: 1m2f Paddy Power Pretty Polly Stakes (Group 1) (Fillies & Mares) (3yo+) 1 Higher Leaves (IRE) Shane Foley2 Jancis (IRE) Ben Coen3 Kalpana Colin Keane4 Magical Hope Billy Lee5 Survie (IRE) Stephane Pasquier6 Wemightakedlongway (IRE) Dylan McMonagle7 Whirl (IRE) Ryan Moore Peter O'Hehir's tip: Kalpana 4.05pm: 1m2f Sherry FitzGerald Country Homes Ladies Derby Handicap (4yo+) 1 Longbourn (IRE) Sorcha Woods (7)2 Masoun (FR) Elizabeth Gale (7)3 Final Voyage (IRE) Miss Georgie Benson (7)4 Bear Profit (IRE) Nicola Burns (7)5 Fiver Friday (IRE) Miss S A Carter (7)6 Solomon Sadhbh Tormey (7)7 Tatateo (IRE) Miss J Townend8 The Real Screamer (IRE) Miss A B O'Connor (3)9 Moonlit Mist (IRE) Neve Bennett (7)10 Secret World (IRE) C J Worrell (7)11 Loingseoir (IRE) Gabriella Hill (7)12 Hemight (IRE) Sylvia O'Donnell (7)13 Desert Friend (IRE) Miss H M Smullen (7)14 Breathe Again (IRE) R Donaghue-Leahy (7) Peter O'Hehir's tip: Masoun 4.40pm: 6f Fitzpatrick's Mercedes-Benz Handicap (3yo+) 1 Daamberdiplomat (IRE) Ben Coen2 Collective Power (IRE) Colin Keane3 Jon Riggens (IRE) James Ryan (3)4 Back Down Under (IRE) Leigh Roche5 Brigid's Cloak P McGettigan (7)6 Airspeed (IRE) Sorcha Woods (7)7 Never Shout Never (IRE) J Kearney (3)8 Cold Hearted (IRE) Shane Foley9 Saturn Seven (IRE) Chris Hayes10 Gordon Bennett (IRE) Niall McCullagh11 Rappell (IRE) Dylan McMonagle12 Tawaazon (IRE) Keithen Kennedy (5)13 Manhattan Chute (IRE) Wayne Lordan14 Verified (IRE) R M Mulligan (7) Peter O'Hehir's tip: Back Down Under 5.15pm: 6f Keadeen Hotel Irish EBF Maiden (3yo+) 1 Bennu (IRE) Leigh Roche2 Best Suggestion (IRE) Gary Carroll3 Colter Bay (FR) A Browne-Souza (10)4 Describe Donagh O'Connor5 Dreaminthejungle (IRE) James Ryan (3)6 Eichan San (IRE) Ronan Whelan7 Men Of Honour (IRE) Andy Slattery8 Naples (IRE) Billy Lee9 Radient Man (IRE) Shane Foley10 Sun Soldier (IRE) Ben Coen11 Washington Street (IRE) Colin Keane12 Angel Of Promise (IRE) Joseph Sheridan13 Charasson (IRE) Seamie Heffernan14 Grown Ups (IRE) R M Mulligan (7)15 Lady Crossing (IRE) Gavin Ryan16 Mise Freisin (IRE) Chris Hayes17 Stella Alpina (IRE) Nathan Crosse18 Suerte (IRE) Rory Cleary Peter O'Hehir's tip: Sun Soldier
Irish Times
10 hours ago
- Irish Times
Colin Keane teams up with Kalpana for the first time in Pretty Polly clash with Whirl
Champion jockey Colin Keane rides Kalpana for the first time at the Curragh on Saturday and will hope the €300,000 Paddy Power Pretty Polly Stakes proves to be the correct Group One weekend option for her. The Andrew Balding-trained filly was also in the mix for Sunday's mile-and-a-half Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud in Paris but instead returns to HQ for another race over 10 furlongs. Third to Los Angeles in the last month's Tattersalls Gold Cup when ridden by Oisin Murphy, Kalpana is another Juddmonte star for Keane to look forward to in his role as the ownership's number one rider in Europe. Juddmonte landed the Pretty Polly last with the subsequent Arc heroine Bluestocking and Paris in October also appears to be Kalpana's ultimate target. READ MORE A top-flight winner at a mile and a half on heavy ground last autumn, this distance may be short of her best and she could prove vulnerable to the Oaks runner up Whirl. The latter is one of just a pair of three-year-olds in a race that has favoured older runners in the last decade. However, she was only narrowly beaten at Epsom, impressed previously in the Musidora, and gets a hefty weight allowance from her elders including France's Survie. Keane teams up with Ger Lyons for the unbeaten juvenile Lady Iman in the earlier Group Two Airlie Stud Stakes. The filly has proved a wonderful advertisement for her new sire Starman and landed a Group Three at Naas last time. Before that she beat the subsequent Queen Mary winner True Love at the Curragh. Beautify was third over course and distance on her debut and Aidan O'Brien's call to pitch her straight into this sort of company is significant. Lady Iman, however, could hardly have been more impressive up to now. Colin Keane onboard Babouche. Photograph: Tom Maher/Inpho Keane and Lyons are represented by Suzie Songs in the Group Three Anglesey Stakes, a race they won with the top-class filly Babouche a year ago. The Cork winner could be up against a formidable colt in Flushing Meadows. He impressed over course and distance on his debut earlier this month. The International Stakes is named in honour of the late Kevin Prendergast who won it in 2006 with Mustameet. This time it might provide a perfect, if belated, start to the season for Elizabeth Jane. Sunday's big race in France is without Kalpana but has a handful of runners crammed with quality. Last year's Arc runner-up Aventure takes on very accomplished males such as the King George hero Goliath and Calandagan. The latter's effort will be of particular interest considering his resolution was questioned after a Coronation up defeat to Jan Brueghel. The Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud is off at 4.30pm Irish time. Joseph O'Brien took Al Riffa out of that big race but will be represented on the card by Scorthy Champ in the Group Two Prix Eugene Adam off at 1.55pm. He has engaged Christophe Soumillon to ride last year's National Stakes winner who finished out of the money in both the English and Irish Guineas and tries 10 furlongs for the first time.
