Curragh - Sat 22 Aug 2026
No form to go on here and a token vote goes to the apparent Ballydoyle first string IVEAGH HOUSE. The Starspangledbanner colt was bred by the O'Brien family and is a full-brother to nursery winner The Marty Party. Joseph O'Brien saddles two and Monogram is an interesting runner for Juddmonte. The son of Kingman is a full-brother to a winner in France and their dam was a Group 3 winner. Johnny Murtagh has four runners, with Ben Coen on Hazaraf. The Blue Point colt, in the colours of the late Aga Khan, is a half-brother to the Group 3-placed Haziym.
HANDANI can make it third-time lucky. The Medaglia d'Oro gelding has been runner-up on both starts to date, including on his return at Leopardstown earlier this month. He had Let's Smash It behind in third when chasing home Hard Promises that day and should be able to confirm form with that rival. His trainer Dermot Weld has a strong hand, with Sunatia also carrying the late Aga Khan's colours. This Night Of Thunder filly ran a big race at a massive price here when chasing home Star Performer. That form got a boost with the winner going on to land a Listed race in fine style.
CHICAGO POPE ran well in a competitive handicap over in York on his last start and, off the same mark, he's capable of striking. The son of Starspangledbanner made the running before finishing fourth to Thunder Call in a strong event. He remains fairly unexposed and there could be more to come from the three-year-old. Genesis rarely runs a bad race and has a good record here. He was runner-up over the minimum trip 13 days ago and sprung a surprise in the Rockingham in late June. Gotta Catch'em All is another who has been very consistent of late and has to come into calculations, along with Go Athletico.
GREEN EMPRESS has bumped into the high-class Sun Goddess on both appearances and got a lot closer to the Group 1 winner on her second start in a Group 2 over 6f here in late June. Out of a Sea The Stars mare, she is likely to be suited by this longer trip and can get off the mark with a Pattern success. Alpha was impressive when easily beating Ibelieveicanfly in a C&D maiden on Derby weekend, but then did plenty wrong when struggling at long odds-on to beat Dancing Destiny in the Silver Flash at Leopardstown, with Blonde Over Blue well held in fourth.
GIANT SEQUOIA has been sent off 4/9 for both C&D starts, which indicates the regard in which he's held, and took a big step forward on his second run when emphatically beating two stablemates on Derby weekend. The third chased home Green Dreamer over a mile at Leopardstown on his next outing, and the latter merits respect on that form. Chesham Stakes winner Nola Soul is a fine specimen who should continue to develop physically and his form was boosted when the Ascot third won at Listed level next time. Florida Bay may well be flattered by his Tyros Stakes victory (Nail House back in third), because there was a definite front-runners' bias at Leopardstown that evening.
NELLCOTE beat a subsequent Galway Festival winner when getting off the mark at Limerick. That was just her second start so the daughter of Sottsass is open to plenty of improvement and an opening mark of 83 may prove to be lenient. Her stablemate Yousaynothingatall is up 5lb after being touched off over 1m2f here last month, when she looked set to score only to lose concentration and roll around in front. Letiza's stamina is unproven, but she looks worth a try over this trip after finishing well in a slowly-run contest over the best part of 1m3f at Naas. Navy Waters has been consistent in defeat this season and her fifth at Galway was particularly creditable.
The rain at York has forced CARMERS out of the Lonsdale Cup and the decision to stay on home soil can pay dividends. Paddy Twomey's classy colt found the two and a half miles of the Gold Cup beyond him at Royal Ascot, but he was at the top of his game prior to that when accounting for Layfayette with the minimum of fuss at Down Royal. Ascot Stakes hero Kizlyar also missed an intended outing on the Knavesmire after failing to make the Ebor cut, while his stablemate Leinster trounced Dallas Star in this 12 months ago but was a disappointing favourite in the Martin Molony won by Layfayette at Limerick. Queenstown still has just the one victory to his name, but he picked up minor money in a couple of French Group 1 contests last autumn.
HUGO'S GIRL has been knocking on the door and ran another good race over course and distance earlier this month. After racing prominently, the daughter of Coulsty looked like dropping away over a furlong out before rallying well to be beaten half a length by Mint Man. On the revised terms, she can reverse that form. Bold Optimist looked in need of an extra furlong when placed over 5f here last weekend, while Poweracclaim comes here after a good third to an improver at Navan.
A field full of newcomers and plenty of guesswork involved. Noble Exhibit looks the pick of the Ballydoyle pair, despite the fact Wayne Lordan rides Iveagh House, with him being related to some smart types and appealing more on profile. He could be good enough on debut, but MONOGRAM is a fascinating alternative for Joseph O'Brien and Juddmonte. The son of Kingman has an appealing profile and holds a Dewhurst entry. Others of interest are Hazaraf, related to some smart winners over 6/7f, and Selosse. The last-named is very much one to take seriously as a relation of high-class stablemate Green Impact. That one was best at 8f-plus, though, and there's a chance he could find this 7f trip on the sharp side first time up.
Dermot Weld is well represented by both Handani and Sunatia, with the pair each looking to have a chance after improving from start one to two. Stepping up to 10f will suit the pair, but it will really suit ACULA also. That one represents top connections and ran a race full of promise on her debut over 8f at Naas. She's related to 10f Group 3 winner Starford and looks open to masses of improvement. The Austrian is worth a mention also with him likely to leave his debut effort behind.
Gavoo has solid claims having run well over C&D two starts back tried in a visor and then backed that up with a good run when third at Naas. CHICAGO POPE has been in fine form himself, though, winning at Naas in May and backing that up with a fine effort in defeat when fourth over this trip at York. He hasn't run since June, but remains open to further progress and is taken to come out on top. Third choice is the tp weight Keke, a consistent sort who brings a bit of class - he was fourth at Listed level last time.
Aidan versus Joseph in this Group 2 contest and old rivals in ALPHA and Dancing Destiny, as well as Blonde Over Blue, go at it again having finished first, second and fourth respectively in the Group 3 Silver Flash at Leopardstown. Alpha is expected to confirm that form, with her having been sent off 1-6 then and landed her maiden over this C&D the time before, while she's clearly still learning on the job. It was tempting to side with stablemate Ibelieveicanfly, who improved for the fitting of a hood last time and surely has more to offer as a daughter of Frankel, but it needs remembering the selection well and truly put her in her place over this C&D in June. Don't rule out a big run from Green Empress, who rounds out Joseph's trio. She's still a maiden but looks to be crying out for this 7f trip.
Florida Bay looks to set the standard on his all-the-way Group 3 win dropped to this trip at Leopardstown last time but in stablemate GIANT SEQUOIA he faces a rival of significant potential. The selection is a son of Frankel who, having fallen short at odds of 4-9 over C&D on debut, scored in the style of a very smart prospect next time. That was only a maiden, but he's got a lot about him physically and Wayne Lordan has jumped ship from Florida Bay to ride. Nola Soul is unbeaten with him last seen winning the Chesham at Royal Ascot. He could easily have improved again and should be bang there once more. The other runners need a fair bit more to take this, although dropping to 7f could suit City Of Dubai.
Nellcote improved nicely on her debut effort upped to 12f at Limerick, taking a maiden in good style, and she surely has more to offer now handicapping for her top yard. We've still to see the best of VANIR, though, the Fairyhouse maiden winner having run so well over 10f on her handicap debut at the course. She'll be much happier returned to this longer trip and still appeals as being on a nice mark. Yousaynothingatall, another in-form 3yo filly and a stablemate of Nellcote, needs considering also back up to 12f.
Carmers sets the standard, having been one of the better middle-distance/staying 3yos around last season, and there was a lot to like about May's Down Royal win in a first-time visor. He didn't stay 20f in the Ascot Gold Cup and this sort of trip will suit better, but let's instead go with Joseph O'Brien's progressive KIZLYAR, who has transformed since getting back on a sounder surface and returning to the Flat, building on his Kilbeggan win over this trip before improving again to land the Ascot Stakes over 20f at Royal Ascot. That form has already been boosted, with the runner-up, who is also a stablemate, an impressive winner since at Glorious Goodwood. This cleraly demands more, but he's from a good Aga Khan family and should keep progressing. The 3yo Asakir ran well in the Queen's Vase despite the ground being too quick and he has a bigger effort in him yet, making him third choice here.
A huge field, the draw may well play a part but there's too much guesswork involved on that score so let's just take a chance on COINCIDENTAL GLORY, who has been in good form of late, twice hitting the places before being pushed into doing too much too soon over 7f at Galway last time. A stiff 6f seems best and he's now 3lb lower than when a good fourth of 18 over C&D in June. There are dangers aplenty, including Mint Man, a C&D winner last time when taking well to a new visor, Soulful Diva, placed over 5f at the course last week, and Hugo's Girl, behind Mint Man by just 1/2l two weeks ago and weighted to go close with his old rival. Poweracclaim is a consistent sort with solid form claims on recent evidence also.
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