MICHAEL HALFORD
HASANOUR
6yo b g (2646475-2684)
Giant’s Causeway - Hasanka
Saturday - Paddy Power Handicap
He has come out of Ascot well. He ran a blinder over there until the ground caught him out in the last furlong. He has a lot of weight so Conor will take 7lb off him. He likes the Curragh and he just wants a bit of nice ground.
EASTERN RULES
8yo b g (23/2646475-2684)
Golden Snake - Eastern Ember
Saturday - Paddy Power Handicap
We are stepping him back up to a mile, but he is another that loves the Curragh. I am happy with him and his work is good. He is another that likes decent ground and this is a race that I’ve had in mind for him for a while.
HAT ALNASAR
4yo b c (21323-13111)
Moss Vale - Dream State
Saturday - Paddy Power Handicap
He has been a revelation on the all-weather and he deserves to take his chance in a race like this. He appears to be in good form, but this will be his biggest test to date and it will be interesting to see how he gets on. If he is competitive, it will open up more options for him. He kept on improving on the all-weather and he is back from a break and in very good form. He is ready to start off again.
ORCIA
4yo b f (/6240712-64303)
Shamardal - Amathia
Saturday - Dubai Duty Free Celebration Stakes
She will take her chance and she has developed into a very capable stakes performer. She has picked up some blacktype this season which is great and while this looks a competitive race, I’d be delighted if she could do so again.
ASBURY BOSS
5yo gr g (314/396-71)
Dalakhani - Nick’s Nikita
Saturday - Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship Handicap
He has come forward well since Listowel. That win did his confidence the power of good and we know that he stays well, so hopefully he’ll run a big race. He likes nice ground and he has run well at the Curragh in the past. He has a nice weight on his back and he has been in good form since Listowel.
TOSCANINI
4yo b g (12/13512244-503)
Shamardal - Tuzla
Saturday - Dubai Duty Free Jumeirah Dash Stakes
He was a bit below par for whatever reason at Cork, but the step back up to six should be more to his liking. He was gelded when he came back from Dubai and I have been happy with him since Cork. It looks a very good listed race, but he has a chance on ratings and he is another that would appreciate nice ground.
CAILIN MOR
4yo b f (12231-049)
Lope De Vega - Capall An Ibre
Saturday - Dubai Duty Free Summer Fillies Handicap
I have had this race in mind for Cailin Mor for a while. She has won at the Curragh before and she is in very good form. She goes away on most types of ground and she goes there with her chance.
SUVENNA
3yo b f (74-711)
Arcano - Sovana
Saturday - Dubai Duty Free Summer Fillies Handicap
She was very good at Listowel and she went up 14lb for that. But she has come out of that race in great form and she likes a sound surface. She has earned a crack at a race like this and I have been very happy with her work.
MORITZBURG
2yo ch c (33) Dutch Art - Providencia
Sunday - Barronstown Stud EBF Maiden
He is a nice colt that has run two solid races for us. We like him and I think the step up to seven will be a help to him. He appears to be in very good form and I think he’ll represent us well.
TRACEY COLLINS
CHICLET
5yo b m (/1100781-12)
Dandy Man - Springfort
Sunday - Tote Rockingham Handicap
She is in great form and I’d like to think that she has come on a bit for her run at Tipperary. She and the winner clocked a very fast time there and she has been very well since. I am very happy with her. She looks great and she has developed and gotten a lot stronger this year. I’d be concerned if the ground turned in any way soft for her, but her work has been good and if things go her way, I think she’ll run a big race.
ADRIAN KEATLEY
G FORCE
5yo b h (25610/80040-)
Tamayuz -Flanders
Saturday - Dubai Duty Free Jumeirah Dash Stakes
He is in super form and we all know what a good horse he has been. He is a big addition to the yard. I had hoped to run him in the handicap on Sunday but he had a big weight in that, so he’ll start off here instead. He has settled in very well here and he looks great and he appears to be in really good form. He has won a Group 1 and you’d love to get him back to that type form, but this looks a good starting off point for him and I suppose we will learn plenty more about him at the weekend. This race is over six and that might be more his trip nowadays. He is a very good addition to the yard and I am just delighted to be training him.
PATRICK PRENDERGAST
ELLERY LANE
2yo b f (1)
Holy Roman Emperor - Plum Sugar
Saturday - Grangecon Stud Stakes
She was very good at Limerick and I thought she’d win that day. Going around a bend was a concern, but she won well and that run would have brought her on. She has loads of pace but she loves fast ground so I hope the ground doesn’t deteriorate too much. Soft ground would be a big worry. She has been in great form since Limerick and while she will need to improve again, I think she has.
JOSEPH MURPHY
SHEPHERD’S PURSE
4yo b g (147/655867-001)
Pastoral Pursuits - Neyraan
Sunday - Tote Rockingham Handicap
He seems to be in very good form, but he is a horse that needs it good or faster. He would run on the slow side of good, but I’d be worried if it got any worse than that. It’s a big ask dropping him back to five, but he has always been a good horse and it is a big pot, so unless we get a deluge, he’ll take his chance. I’d say he’ll be better over six, but he deserves a crack at a race like this.
FLYING FAIRIES
3yo b f (39-4321)
Holy Roman Emperor - Bright Birdie
Saturday - Dubai Duty Free Summer Fillies Handicap
She gets in with a light weight and she’ll take her chance. She has an each-way chance and, much like Shepherd’s Purse, it is a big pot and she goes there in very good form. She is an improving filly and I’d like to think that she’ll be competitive.
JOHNNY MURTAGH
DUCHESS ANDORRA
5yo b m (16/117-26426)
Duke Of Marmalade - Andorra
Saturday - Paddy Power Handicap
EDDYSTONE ROCK
4yo ch g (2623-72311)
Rock Of Gibraltar - Bayberry
Saturday - Paddy Power Handicap
Sunday - Troytown Grey Abbey Equine Hospital Handicap
They are both in good shape. We ran Duchess Andorra in a listed race the last day and it was a big ask for her, but she is back into handicap company and she deserves to take her chance in a race like this. Eddystone Rock has improved a lot of late and I might run him in the mile and quarter race on Sunday. He was very good the last day at Navan and he is a nice horse with a good turn of foot. He has come on again since Navan and if the race was over a mile and one, I’d be really happy. I am looking forward to running them.
YUFTEN
5yo b h (2d4/06-2104)
Invincible Spirit - Majestic Sakeena)
Saturday - Dubai Duty Free Celebration Stakes
Sunday - Dubai Duty Free Jumeriah Dash Stakes
He is a good horse and I’d say seven might be his best trip. He has developed into a very good horse for us and I was happy with his last run. He handles most types of ground and he is a very solid horse that has been running consistently well for us. He’ll be competitive in whatever race he runs in.
GRAND COALITION
2yo b c (310)
Kodiac - Defined Feature
READY TO ROC
2yo b c (15)
Roderic O’Connor - Acushladear
Saturday - GAIN Railway Stakes
They would both like good ground. They are smart horses with plenty of pace and six up the Curragh should be fine for them. I took Ready To Roc out of Royal Ascot last week on account of the soft ground but they will run if we get nice ground. They are good moving horses and I just hope we don’t get too much rain.
JIM BOLGER
MOONLIGHT MAGIC
3yo b c (11-510)
Cape Cross - Melikah
Saturday - Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby
He probably didn’t act around Epsom, but he seems to be in good form. I know he has to redeem himself somewhat but I’d be optimistic that we’ll see a better performance from him and I think he’ll be more at home around the Curragh then he was at Epsom. We thought going there that he’d have run better but it didn’t work out for whatever reason. He seems to be back in good form and I hope he runs a big race.