There's only one place to start and that's the return of Luxembourg in today's Group Three Fitzdares Royal Whip Stakes (4.05) at the Curragh.
I’ve often asked the question of whether it feels worse if your horse finishes in second place, or finishes absolutely nowhere.
Paddy Twomey is a trainer on the rise and he may have the answer with Show Of Stars in today’s Listed Hurry Harriet Stakes (5.20) at Gowran Park.
Irish 1,000 Guineas heroine Homeless Songs is set to return in next month's Matron Stakes on Irish Champions Weekend, providing connections are satisfied with the ground at Leopardstown.
Aidan O’Brien always thought that Little Big Bear (13/8) was “a bit special” and the exciting juvenile backed up his trainer’s confidence when streaking to a dominant success in the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh on Saturday.
I’ve been looking through the records and as far as I can see, Hollie Doyle has not had a winner under rules in Ireland having raced here 11 times – but that can change today, which would no doubt delight her father Mark Doyle, who hails from Clonmel.
Ahead of his horse Nipper Reed going for a treble in handicap hurdles in 1998, trainer Rod Simpson was asked if the gelding was doing well after his latest win.
Voce Del Palio claimed a surprise victory in the lucrative Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes at Naas.
Current Option continued his love affair with Galway by registering a remarkable hat-trick of victories in yesterday’s Irish Stallion Farms EBF “Ahonoora” Handicap.
It’s a cross between a county final, St Patrick’s Day and a giant open air wedding reception. It’s the Magic Lads beating the big boys and the Shark moving in for the kill. It’s middle-aged couples jiving frenetically to ‘The Crack Was Ninety In The Isle of Man’ and youngsters hopping up and down to ‘Take Me Home Country Roads’. It’s the old style Hollywood glamour of ladies’ day dresses but also flip-flops for a fiver when feet ache too much in high heels.
Ado McGuinness may have been out of luck earlier in the week but his love affair with the Galway Races looks set to continue in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Ahonoora Handicap (4.10) at Ballybrit tomorrow.
Many years ago, Ted Wash said that: “If you are thinking of going to Galway, what you should first do is take a fiver out of your pocket, throw it in the fire and watch it burn. And if you can stand the pain, off to the races with you.”
“If we had any sense we’d be getting one of those jackets,” said a girl with a dramatically plunging neckline to her friend with the sky-high hem. Both of them were shivering as they passed the retail tent with its selection of imminently sensible waterproof garments.
Sionnach Eile turned the featured mile and a half Guinness Handicap into a procession under a positive ride from Gary Carroll at Galway on Friday evening.
Jockey Wesley Joyce remains in intensive care at University Hospital Galway following his fall at Galway on Thursday.
A quick dash in, and a quick dash out – that’s all it takes. Men often despair at how long it takes a woman to shop compared with their own 15-minute equivalent of Supermarket Sweep.
Priced at 11/4, I was lucky enough to back Echoes In Rain in Monday’s Connacht Hotel QR Handicap where Patrick Mullins finally claimed the prize after many attempts – but at one stage, I was getting quite worried about Noel Meade’s Cask Mate, which went off at 20/1.
The most lucrative prizes of the week may already have been collected, but the quality doesn’t dip on day five at Ballybrit.
TUDOR CITY wrote his way into Ballybrit folklore when landing a second Guinness Galway Hurdle as Liam McKenna made his first ride of the season an unforgettable one when guiding the 22/1 chance to glory for handicap king Tony Martin.
WILLIE MULLINS has had a stranglehold on the €270,000 Guinness Galway Hurdle in recent times, with three victories in the past four years, and the champion trainer has another strong quartet led by Adamantly Chosen. Paul Townend partners the five-year-old, but several dangers lurk behind him with a host of challengers trying to seize the prize from Mullins on ladies’ day at Ballybrit.