Friday 17th July
A host of equine stars to line up over both Saturday and Sunday
Day 2 of Juddmonte Irish Oaks Weekend at the Curragh promises to be a high quality race day this Sunday, following the publication of the final declaration of runners this morning.
The Ger Lyons trained Lemista, unbeaten in two starts this year, is one of 8 runners in the Kilboy Estate Stakes. One Voice, recent winner of the Blue Wind Stakes, trained by Jessica Harrington, Ridenza trained by Michael Halford who finished a promising third in the Derrinstown Stud Fillies Stakes and the Aidan O’Brien trained Lovelier, who landed the Cairn Rouge Stakes at Killarney last Monday also feature among the quality field in the Group 2 contest.
Recent Group 3 winner A’Ali is one of 7 runners in the Holden Plant Rentals Sapphire Stakes. The Simon and Ed Crisford trained sprinter will face tough competition in the Group 2 race over 5 furlongs from Denis Hogan’s recent Curragh winner Make A Challenge.
The unbeaten Frenetic will attempt to follow up her GAIN First Flier Stakes success in the Airlie Stud Stakes. The Group 2 contest has attracted a total of 6 fillies who also include Sussex Garden, More Beautiful, Mother Earth, Aloha Star and Inner Beauty.
The top class weekend of racing kicks off tomorrow with the Juddmonte Irish Oaks taking centre stage. Eight fillies will face the starter with Epsom Oaks runner-up Ennistymon, joining Snow, Laburnum and Passion representing trainer Aidan O’Brien, while recent Alwasmiyah Pretty Polly Stakes runner-up Cayenne Pepper, trained by Jessica Harrington, the Joseph O’Brien-trained New York Girl and the Ger Lyons-trained pair of Yaxeni and Even So feature among the fillies who will face the starter in the 12-furlong Classic.
The support programme to the Group 1 Classic includes the GAIN Railway Stakes, Paddy Power Minstrel Stakes, Comer Group International Curragh Cup and Kildare Village Ladies Derby.
Juddmonte Irish Oaks Weekend takes place at The Curragh over two days 18th and 19th July and will be run behind closed doors due to Irish government protocols.
Ground
Straight Course: Good.
Round Course: Good, Good to Firm in places - selective watering taking place on round course.
Forecast: possibility of showers this evening into tonight.
Track: racing on middle track in straight. Stalls in centre for all sprints.
Latest betting
Juddmonte Irish Oaks
Paddy Power: 2 Cayenne Pepper, Ennistymon, 9-2 Snow, 11 Even So, 12 Laburnum, New York Girl, 14 Passion, 25 Yaxeni
Paddy Power Scurry Stakes
Paddy Power: 3 Laugh A Minute, 9-2 Urban Beat, 7 Ardhoomey, Ice Cold In Alex, 9 Romantic Proposal, 10 Gulliver, Master Matt, 12 Flaming Moon, Gloves Lynch, 14 Bungee Jump, Tommy Taylor, 16 Nordic Passage, 20 Blairmayne, Gunmetal, 25 Cityman, 33 Mid Winster, 66 Opening Verse
How to view the races
A free interactive digital race card will be available to download for each race day 24 hours in advance of the meeting and there will be plenty of opportunities to watch the races at home. In addition to Racing TV covering all races, RTE televise four live races on Saturday, the Paddy Power Scurry, GAIN Railway Stakes, Juddmonte Irish Oaks and Kildare Village Ladies Derby, while ITV4 will televise two races live on Sunday, The Kilboy Estate Stakes and Holden Plant Rental Sapphire Stakes