The Curragh will stage a vintage renewal of the Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup on Sunday.
Last year’s winner WHITE BIRCH and the Aidan O’Brien trained LOS ANGELES are at the head of the market in what could be an exciting rematch following Los Angeles’ narrow margin victory in the Group 2 Mooresbridge Stakes at The Curragh three weeks ago. CONTINUOUS will also represent Aidan O’Brien in the race.
Trained by John Joseph Murphy, White Birch was a Tattersalls December Foal Sale purchase by Tally-Ho Stud for 75,000 guineas from Chevely Park. The five-year-old has provided connections with multiple Group victories to date including the Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup last year.
Colin Keane has ridden White Birch in his last four starts and looks forward to getting aboard for Sunday’s outing.
Keane said: “White Birch had a very good first run back having been off the track for nearly a year and you’d like to think he would have improved from the run by all s. He has come out of the race very happy, and everyone is looking forward to having him out again. He loves The Curragh and although it’s one of the strongest renewals of the race, he’s coming there in good nick and any rain that falls will help him. I’m looking forward to getting back on him at the weekend.”
Juddmonte have yet another exciting bullet to fire here with the Andrew Balding trained filly KALPANA. She impressed all last season, most notably with her two-length victory in the Group 1 Fillies and Mares on Champions Day at Ascot. She rerouted to Sunday’s Tattersalls Gold Cup field after a poor scope ruled her out of York’s Group 2 Middleton Stakes.
Oisin Murphy has been booked to ride this weekend and seems sweet on her chances.
He said: “Unfortunately Kalpana had to miss her engagement at York, but her health this week has been brilliant according to Andrew [Balding].
“It’s a tough race as it should be for the Tattersalls Gold Cup. Many good horses have won it before, but I’m really excited to partner her. I’ve ridden her in quite a lot of her work over the last few months, and it’s been really pleasing. Any rain would be helpful on Sunday as she acts with cut in the ground very well.”
GHOSTWRITER is another British raider making the trip over for Lambourn trainer, Clive Cox. Owned by Jeff Smith, the son of Invincible Spirit was purchased at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale for 100,000 guineas from Norelands Stud.
A Group 2 winner at two, he has since been knocking on the door with gallant placed efforts in Group 1 contests and connections will be hoping he can get his head in front at the top table on Sunday.
Dual Group 1 winner, including last year’s Champion Stakes, ANMAAT returns on seasonal debut for Owen Burrows. The now six-year-old was purchased for 140,000 guineas by Shadwell at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale from Ringfort Stud. He has landed multiple Group races since then and looks another standout in this high-class field.
Group race winners ROYAL RHYME, DEEPONE AND CRYPTO FORCE complete the field.
Lake Victoria heads Guineas fillies
Sunday will also see a star cast of three-year-old fillies lining up in the Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas with Ballydoyle’s LAKE VICTORIA heading the market. The Frankel filly was faultless through her juvenile season, unbeaten on all five starts including three Group 1 races at The Curragh, Newmarket and at the Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar. Despite finishing sixth on seasonal debut, she is likely to come on from that run as the real class angle in the race. The Listed scorer and Group 1 placed JANUARY will also line up for connections.
Juddmonte will be hoping their luck extends into Sunday’s action with their runner SWELTER, also sired by Kingman heading to post in the fillies’ contest. Trained by Dermot Weld, she looked progressive when winning the Group 3 Priory Belle Stakes at Leopardstown on second start in March.
Young handler Ollie Sangster will be dually represented by talented fillies FLIGHT and SIMMERING who flew home to land second and third place respectively in the Betfred 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket.
Flight who was Group 3 placed last season looked to have taken a big step forward from two to three while Simmering was the real stable flag bearer last year winning two Group races and finishing runner-up to Lake Victoria in the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes.
The daughter of Too Darn Hot was purchased by Ollie Sangster and Justin Casse for 70,000 guineas at Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale from Barton Stud.
A big weekend for the young trainer, Sangster told Tattersalls: Both fillies came out of Newmarket well. They have been training nicely and we’re looking forward to them both lining up on Sunday.”
Donnacha O’Brien will be hoping his Group 3 winner ATSILA can go one better than her talented stablemate Porta Fortuna managed in last year’s renewal where she went down a neck to finish second.
The in-form Archie Watson will saddle DUTY FIRST who landed Newbury’s Group 3 Fred Darling in impressive style before struggling with conditions at the Rowley Mile in Newmarket’s Classic.
Watson said: “She didn’t handle the track at Newmarket at all and stumbled badly on the undulations. Hopefully we can put a line through that run. I have been very happy with her at home since and the track at The Curragh should suit her much better.”
Duty First was purchased by Oliver St Lawrence on behalf of Victorius Racing at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale for 370,000 guineas from Kildaragh Stud.
Paddy Twomey will send the unexposed maiden winner and Tattersalls Ireland Breeze Up Sale graduate CITY OF MEMPHIS on just her second start while others lining up with more race experience include CERCENE, CALIFORNIA DREAMER and JALIYAH.
Eoin O’Neill’s TAMAM DESERT completes the Classic field.
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