Paddy Power is the new title sponsor of the €300,000 Group 1 Paddy Power Pretty Polly Stakes at The Curragh on Saturday June 28, Day Two of Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Festival.
The 10 furlong (2000 metres) contest, which is named in honour of the legendary Pretty Polly who won fifteen consecutive times including the British fillies triple crown, has attracted 51 fillies and mares following the recent publication of the first entries.
Champion Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien has won the race five times, most recently courtesy of Magical in 2020, and the master of Ballydoyle has 13 entries which include Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies heroine Lake Victoria, who was sent off second favourite for last Sunday’s Classic 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket, where she could only muster sixth, but might appreciate the additional two furlongs of the Pretty Polly.
O’Brien’s possibility also number Exactly, who found Lake Victoria just a length and a quarter too powerful in the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes at the same Co. Kildare venue last September, and Bedtime Story, the nine and a half length winner of the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot last June before also prevailing in the Group 2 Alpha Centauri Debutante Stakes at The Curragh In August.
But the home defence probably won’t have things all their own way with the last two renewals of this prestigious race having gone to the UK in the shape of the George Boughey-trained Via Sistina scoring in 2023 and the Ralph Beckett trained Bluestocking who won last year and subsequently landed the Prix de l’Arc De Triomphe.
This time around there are 15 possible raiders from across the Irish Sea including David Menuisier’s Sun Chariot Stakes-winning Tamfana, who as a three-year-old last term then put in a hugely-creditable effort to finish third to two older rivals in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot.
That filly made an encouraging reappearance in a Group 2 at Sandown last month when finding only Dancing Gemini, who had the benefit of a previous run this term at Doncaster, a length and three-quarters too good.
Other UK-trained possible combatants include John and Thady Gosden’s pair of Friendly Soul and Running Lion, first and second in the Prix de l’Opera at Longchamp’s Arc Meeting and last year’s Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas winner Fallen Angel, who could bid to return to the scene of her greatest triumph for trainer Karl Burke.
Talking on the sponsorship, Paddy Power himself said: “We have a longstanding relationship with The Curragh, and we couldn’t be more delighted to take over the sponsorship of the Pretty Polly Stakes.
People talk about the Anglo-Irish rivalry at Cheltenham, but this top-class contest really is a battle of the two nations with UK-trained horses having conducted successful raids in seven of the most recent 13 renewals.”
Evan Arkwright, The Curragh’s Racing & Sponsorship Manager, commented: “The Pretty Polly Stakes is one of the jewels in the crown of the Irish flat racing season and we are delighted that Paddy Power have agreed to enhance their partnership with us by adding their name to this great race. We have enjoyed a very positive long-standing relationship with their team and look forward to working closely with them on an exciting campaign to elevate the race day experience for racegoers.”
For further information please contact Evan Arkwright, The Curragh’s Racing & Sponsorship Manager, on + 353 (87) 224 0890 or Dean Finn, Paddy Power Brand Manager – Racing & Ireland on + 353 (85) 130 2381