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Powys County Times
19-07-2025
- Sport
- Powys County Times
Al Riffa makes class count with stylish Curragh Cup win
Joseph O'Brien's Al Riffa stamped his class on the Michael John Kennedy Curragh Cup. The dual Group One winner had played a supporting role in three previous outings this year, finishing third in the Neom Turf Cup in Saudi Arabia and fourth in the Prix Ganay in France before finding the globetrotting Rebel's Romance too strong Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot. Stepping up to a mile and three-quarters for the first time, the Dylan Browne McMonagle-ridden 4-5 favourite saw out the trip in some style, rocketing clear late on to claim Group Two honours by five lengths from Shackleton. Crash, bang, wallop – what a stayer! Hardwicke Stakes runner-up 𝐀𝐥 𝐑𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐚 thrives for a step up to 1m6f with a frankly effortless success in the Curragh Cup 💥 — Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 19, 2025 Stable representative Kevin Blake said: 'That was brilliant, he's a horse with a lot of class and he was last to first in a National Stakes here in fairness to him. 'No one ever felt that he needed that trip, but it made sense. He was relaxed, Dylan said he was very easy to ride over that trip, he quickened up and it was really good. 'I'd say it's most likely that he'll go straight to the Irish Leger from here. There is a possibility of the Group One that he won in Berlin last year (Grosser Preis von Berlin), but I'd say it's more likely he'll go straight there. 'The Melbourne Cup is in the minds thereafter. We all know what comes with that but that would be what we'd like to do, if we're allowed.' Odds-on favourite New Zealand led home a one-two-three for Aidan O'Brien in the Juddmonte Chaldean Irish EBF Maiden. Despite finishing only seventh on his debut at this venue three weeks ago, the Frankel colt was sent on his way the 10-11 favourite to open his account in a race won by Henry Longfellow and The Lion In Winter in the past two years and was soon bowling along in front under Ryan Moore. He was under pressure from two furlongs down, but kept responding to his rider's urgings and had just enough up his sleeve to repel his previously unraced stablemate Issac Newton by a nose, with another Ballydoyle newcomer Action – a half-brother to dual Derby winner Lambourn – an eyecatching third. A @Ballydoyle 1-2-3 in the @JuddmonteFarms Chaldean @IrishEBF_ Maiden 🔥 Action and Isaac Newton caught the eye, but 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐙𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 held sway under Ryan Moore. The Lion In Winter, Henry Longfellow, Mac Swiney, New Approach and Teofilo have all won this race 👀 — Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 19, 2025 Of the winner, O'Brien said: 'He's a lovely big horse, he hasn't a clue what he's doing yet – he's massive, the power and the size of him. 'We'll go gentle and let him come on. He learned a lot from the first day, we liked him before that and he was very green. The first day he was a little bit slow away and you could see him today, he never travelled a yard. 'He's a big horse and he's all power. I know he's not short of speed, but he looks like a big, middle-distance horse.' The Ado McGuinness-trained Go Athletico (20-1) swooped fast and late under Shane Foley to claim top honours in the €100,000 Kwiff Supercharged Betting Scurry Handicap. 'It's a nice birthday present – I'm the big 60 today,' said McGuinness. 'I suppose class is permanent and form is temporary and he did lose his form big time. He slipped back down and we were very disappointed with him. 'He's a good horse and he'll probably pitch up in Galway now in the Ahonoora Handicap, that's where he's going to do next.' Stop The Nation was a 15-2 winner of the Lavazza Sprint Nursery Handicap for trainer Jack Davison and 3lb claimer James Ryan. 'I had a baby boy at 23.59 last night and James Ryan lost his claim there. It's a real feel-good winner on many fronts,' said Davison. 'He's a good colt and he's learning the whole time. He'll be a lovely horse for the Goffs Million.'
Irish Examiner
19-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Minnie Hauk has little to do to complete double
The turnout for the Group 1 Juddmonte Irish Oaks, the feature of the weekend's action in the Curragh, is deeply disappointing, and leaves Epsom Oaks winner Minnie Hauk with little to do to complete the double. Aidan O'Brien's filly was promising last season and has improved with both outings this season, culminating in that narrow success from stablemate Whirl in the British Classic. The form received a nice boost when the runner-up won the Pretty Polly at the Curragh, and if this filly runs to the same form as at Epsom, she will follow up. Wemightakedlongway was five and a quarter-lengths behind the selection in the Oaks and will do well to narrow that gap. That said, she rates the only plausible challenger and her trainer, Joseph O'Brien, has his team in top form. The nap goes to Extravagant, who can get off the mark in the Lavazza Sprint Nursery. Aidan O'Brien's twice-raced colt was quite green on debut but ran a good race to finish second to Green Soul, and while he was beaten favourite on his second outing, it appeared as though the step up to seven furlongs caught him out. Back to six for his first handicap, he can make a winning start off his mark of 83. Old rival Bobby McGee, who has twice finished just behind him, can follow him home. He showed improved form last time and that looks good enough to ensure he goes close here. Al Riffa can record his first win of the season by taking the Group 2 Michael John Kennedy Curragh Cup. Joseph O'Brien's five-year-old has done plenty of travelling and this will be his first run in Ireland since finishing second in the International Stakes at this track in 2023. Last time out, at the Royal meeting in Ascot, he posted a huge effort to finish runner-up to Rebel Romance in the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes and, at this stage of his career, it looks as though he will appreciate the step up to today's one-mile-six trip. He is conceding weight to all of his rivals but has a class edge and can make it count. On Sunday's card, the Mark Prescott-trained Tasmania can build on a promising return from a long lay-off by taking the Group 3 Al Shira'aa Racing Meadow Court Stakes. The five-year-old has clearly had plenty of issues, but she made her comeback, after almost a year off, in a Group 3 on Newcastle's all-weather track and caught the eye with her runner-up finish. Bound to be better for the run, and sure to appreciate the bit of ease in the ground, she can make the trip across the Irish Sea a profitable one. Tommy Lyons' picks: CURRAGH (Saturday) 1:30 Seoul Force 2:00 Big Gossey 2:35 Puerto Rico 3:05 Powerful Nation 3:40 Minnie Hauk 4:15 Al Riffa (nb) 4:50 Extravagant (nap) 5:25 Shelbiana Next best 1:30 Action 2:00 Heavenly Power 2:35 Power Blue 3:05 Mgheera 3:40 Wemightakedlongway 4:15 Shackelton 4:50 Bobby McGee 5:25 Proxima Centauri CURRAGH (Sunday) 1:20 Saint Agatha 1:55 Empress Artemis 2:30 Tasmania (nap) 3:05 Lady In Paris 3:40 Room Service 4:15 Desert Power 4:50 Edelak (nb) 5:25 Sunlight Dance Next best 1:20 You'll Think Of Me 1:55 Spicy Margarita 2:30 One Look 3:05 Valorous Power 3:40 Diego Velazquez 4:15 Bille Be Quick 4:50 Light As Air 5:25 Treasure Rose
