11th August 2021
Earlswood, Innisfree, Twilight Payment, Princess Zoe and Wordsworth among confirmed runners for the Curragh this Friday.
Earlswood is one of 13 horses who will face the starter in the Fitzdares Royal Whip Stakes taking place this Friday at The Curragh, following this morning’s final declaration of runners. The Johnny Murtagh trained three year old finished a very respectable fourth behind Hurricane Lane in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby last June.
Aidan O’Brien, who has won the race 10 times, will be represented by Innisfree, who hasn’t run since his notable two year old career in 2019. Other runners in the historic Group 3 contest include Leo De Fury, Reve De Vol, Kalapour and Layfayette.
Princess Zoe is one of 11 confirmed to run in the in the Comer Group International Irish St Leger Trial Stakes. The Tony Mullins trained mare landed the Kildare Village Ladies Derby last year before going onto Group 1 success later in the Prix Du Cardan and was runner up in the Ascot Gold Cup in June.
Other significant entries in the Group 3 contest feature Melbourne Cup winner Twilight Payment, Comer Group International Curragh Cup winner Amhran Na Bhfiann and Wordsworth, who finished third in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby together with Barrington Court, while race sponsor Luke Comer is represented by Aircraft Carrier, Questionaire and Seattle Sound.
British based trainer George Boughey will be represented by the unbeaten Zebelle in the Finlay Volvo Curragh Stakes, while the leading Irish trained contenders include Strapped, Loveday and Albion Square and Head Mistress.
The race day also features the second race in the DMG Media Challenge with 22 going to post, The Derek O’Sullivan Memorial Apprentice Handicap with 23 runners, Irish Racing Yearbook Nursery for two-year-olds with 18 runners, Mongey Communications Handicap with 12 runners and competitive TRI Equestrian Handicap with 23 runners
Ground
Straight Course – Good to Yielding
Round Course – Yielding
Forecast
Rain forecast for today and tomorrow (approx. 6 to 12 mm). Mainly dry on Friday
Track
Racing on far side track in straight. Stalls in centre for all sprints
Declared runners please click here
Where to watch
All races broadcast live on Racing TV