O'Brien bids to land yet another Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh The Keeneland Phoenix Stakes is the highlight at the Curragh this afternoon with Whistlejacket set to go off at a shade of odds-on against five rivals in the €350,000 Group 1 event. Aidan O’Brien has dominated this race winning it an amazing 16 times in the past 25 years and course winner Whistlejacket comes here off the back of a Group 2 win last time in the Kingdom Of Bahrain July Stakes at Newmarket. The challenge from Ballydoyle is further strengthened by Heavens Gate who makes a quick reappearance after landing the valuable Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes at Naas on Monday. Babouche may provide the chief threat to the favourite having impressed on both outings to date including when landing the Jebel Ali Racecourse And Stables Anglesey Stakes here last month. The FBD Hotels And Resorts Heritage Hotel Phoenix Sprint Stakes is the chief supporting race and there is a strong UK challenge with Kind Of Blue, Electric Storm and Shartash all towards the head of the market in this Group 3 test. The Ballydoyle team hold a strong hand in the opening three juvenile races on the card with Delacroix, Ides Of March and Ballet Slippers all well fancied. Clerk of the Course Brendan Sheridan gave an update on ground conditions this morning saying, “The ground remains good, good to firm in places, following selective watering yesterday and 1mm of rain. “We are racing on the stand side track and the stalls are in the centre for all sprint races. “The forecast is pretty good. It is to be a dry, warm day with temperatures to be in the high teens.” The first on an eight-race card gets underway at 1.45pm. Racing also takes place at Kilbeggan this evening with a seven-race National Hunt meeting beginning at 5pm. The going is currently good, good to yielding in places, following watering at the midlands track.
