White Birch - back at HQ in search of further Curragh gains© Photo Healy Racing
Racing TV and TG4 will provide coverage for the armchair viewer but the best advise for Bank Holiday Monday is to get yourself along to the Curragh with free return shuttle buses from Kildare and Newbridge town centres and train stations.
Irish Guineas Trials take centre stage at HQ this afternoon with total prize money across all eight races coming in at €366,000.
Seven runners will go to post in the featured Group Two Coolmore Stud Sottsass Mooresbridge Stakes with White Birch Maux and Village Voice all renewing rivalry having filled the first three places in the recent Tote.ie Alleged Stakes. The Adrian Murray trained Elegant Man, impressive winner of the valuable Easter Classic Handicap at Newcastle and Goldana, recent winner of the Heritage Handicap at Leopardstown are other notable contenders, while the Joe Murphy trained Lord Massusus is also included in the line-up.
The Coolmore Stud Paddington Tetrarch Stakes has attracted a select field of five featuring the Jessica Harrington trained Norfolk Havoc, Samuel Colt trained by Aidan O’Brien, Bright Stripes trained by Andy Oliver, Elegant Madame trained by Adrian Murray and recent Leopardstown winner Ecureuil Secret trained by Edward O’Grady.
The William Haggas trained Doom is one of ten fillies and mares declared to run in the Coolmore Stud Little Big Bear Athasi Stakes. Other notable contenders in the Group 3 contest include Jumbly Vain Gloria Bluedrum Wide With Delight and Magical Sunset
The GAIN First Flier Stakes, the first in the GAIN Champion Collection Series, will see six two-year-olds go to post including Arizona Blaze who landed the opening two-year-old race of the 2024 season in March. The Adrian Murray trained juvenile will face tough opposition from previous winners Usdi Atohi, Morning Vietnam and Monotone while Gran Habano and the Aidan O’Brien trained Whistlejacket complete the field.
Twenty of Ireland’s leading apprentice jockeys will compete in the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Apprentice Handicap, while there are seventeen in the Holden Plant Rentals Handicap.
The opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Sires Series Maiden at 1.15pm has attracted fifteen runners, while there are ten runners in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Handicap.
