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Thirteen of the 25 renewals of the Group 1 Paddy Power Pretty Polly Stakes this century have been won by British-based trainers and the Andrew Balding-trained Kalpana will bid to extend that number in Saturday’s edition of the fillies contest.
A total of seven runners have stood their ground following declarations for Saturday’s feature race and the raiding party is extended by the French-trained Group 2 winner Survie. The talented four-year-old will be ridden by Stephane Pasquier for Nicolas Clement and Flo Hermans.
Kalpana was last seen running a fine third behind Los Angeles in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh last month and will be the mount of Colin Keane who seeks to add yet another Group 1 success in the famous Juddmonte silks.
“We’ve been really happy with Kalpana since her last trip to Ireland,” Balding said this morning. “She is a very high class filly and although we know she will probably improve for going a little further, she seems to me like she will be pretty effective going a mile and a quarter. We hope she’ll run very well and particularly if the ground stays good she should be very competitive.”
The Aidan O’Brien-trained Whirl and Joseph O’Brien-trained Wemightakedlongway will bid to bounce back from taking minor honours in the Epsom Oaks. Joseph O’Brien saddled the last three-year-old filly to win this race when Iridessa won in 2019 and O’Brien also won the race since with Thundering Nights in 2021.
Aidan O’Brien’s last success in the Paddy Power Pretty Polly Stakes was courtesy of Magical who won the behind closed doors renewal of 2020 but narrow Epsom Oaks runner-up Whirl gives the champion trainer strong claims this weekend. Magical was O’Brien’s only older filly to win this race with his other four winners being three-year-olds.
Paddy Twomey recorded a flagship success with La Petite Coco in 2022 and the in-form trainer will saddle Magical Hope this time around, while the locally trained Jancis represents Willie McCreery and Ben Coen with Higher Leaves completing the field for Henry de Bromhead and Shane Foley.
Six juveniles will contest the Group 2 Airlie Stud Stakes with three previous winners in the field including the Ger Lyons-trained Lady Iman who is seeking a fourth straight victory.
Dylan Browne McMonagle has been booked to partner the Ollie Sangster-trained Artista, while Aidan O’Brien relies on the Ryan Moore-ridden Beautify who was third on debut at the Curragh last month.
The Al Basti Equiworld Dubai International Stakes In Honour Of Kevin Prendergast has also attracted a field of six runners and it would be fitting if Prendergast’s former apprentice Chris Hayes could guide the Dermot Weld-trained Elizabeth Jane to success in this Group 3 contest.
Aidan O’Brien’s course and distance winner Flushing Meadows heads the field for the Group 3 Jebel Ali Racecourse and Stables Anglesey Stakes where he will face Jack Davison’s Curragh winner Stop The Nation and the Ger Lyons-trained Suzie Songs who impressed on debut at Cork a fortnight ago.
Champion lady rider Jody Townend will partner the Denis Hogan-trained Tatateo in the Sherry FitzGerald Country Homes Ladies Derby, while Hannah Smullen is booked to ride the Denise Foster-trained Desert Friend.
Recent Curragh winner Cold Hearted will look to back up that win earlier this month in the Fitzpatrick’s Mercedes-Benz Handicap for Jessica Harrington and Shane Foley, while the card begins with the Barronstown Stud Irish EBF Maiden at 1.15pm and concludes with the Keadeen Hotel Irish EBF Maiden at 5.15pm.
The Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Festival begins on Friday with an eight race card which includes the Fitzpatrick’s Mercedes-Benz Apprentice Derby with 16 runners, while a field of 16 go to post for the most valuable race of the night, the JJ Mahon & Sons Handicap over seven furlongs.
Declarations for day three of the Irish Derby Festival and the 160th running of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby will take place on Friday morning.

Click here to view declarations for Friday 27th June

Click here to view declarations for Saturday 28th June

Click here to view entries for Sunday 29th June