Group 1 contest features 35 top class entries including the first Qatari trained runner
Entries for the Tattersalls Gold Cup were released today by Horse Racing Ireland and the Group 1 contest has attracted high quality entries from Ireland, Britain and Qatar.
The race is one of the highlights of the Tattersalls Irish Guineas Festival, taking place at The Curragh over the weekend of the 22nd and 23rd May.
Classic winners include Love winner of both the 1000 Guineas and Epsom Oaks, Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby winner Santiago, Serpentine winner of the Epsom Derby and Search For A Song, twice winner of the Comer Group International Irish St Leger.
A number of other Group 1 winners also feature among the entries including Addeybb, the joint top-rated horse in Europe, Audarya, winner of the Breeders Cup Filly and Mares Turf, recent Dubai Group 1 winner Lord Glitters, Coronation Stakes winner Alpine Star, Mogul winner of the Hong Kong Vase and Juddmonte International winner Japan.
The Willie Mullins trained True Self and Bowerman trained by Adrian McGuinness, recent winners of valuable races in Saudi Arabia and Qatar respectively are other notable entries, in addition to Melbourne Cup and Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby runner up Tiger Moth.
Qatar based entry Noor Al Hawa, trained by George Mikhalides, is undoubtedly the best middle distance horse in Qatar. He has won eleven times including the Qatar Derby and valuable Sheikh Mohammad Bin Khalifa Al Thani Trophy, while he landed the prestigious His Highness The Amir’s Trophy last month. The son of Makfi was previously trained in France where he won the Group 3 Grand Prix de Vichy and was placed 4th in the Group 1 Prix Jacques Le Marois.
Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony added:
“The first three in last year’s Tattersalls Gold Cup, MAGICAL, SIR DRAGONET and SEARCH FOR A SONG, all went on to further Group 1 glory in 2020, perhaps most notably runner up SIR DRAGONET who went on to win the Cox Plate, and the entries for this year’s renewal suggest that we can expect another fantastic contest for the Tattersalls Gold Cup which has been one of the highlights of the Tattersalls global sponsorship portfolio for more than 30 years."
Evan Arkwright, The Curragh’s Racing and Sponsorship Manager commented :
“The entries for the Tattersalls Gold Cup are very positive with the prospect of many of the best middle distance horses competing for €300,000 in total prize money. Our aim is to build on the success of the race last year, which rated as the 8th highest rated race in Europe and 13th best race in the world”.
