LIKEABLE three-year-old Caught You Looking makes a quick return to action in today’s feature race at Gowran Park, six days on from finishing a fine fourth in the Group 2 Moyglare “Jewels” Blandford Stakes at the Curragh.
A Group 3 winner at two, and fifth in both the Epsom and Irish Oaks, Noel Meade’s filly will be partnered by Colin Keane in the Group 3 Denny Cordell Lavarack & Lanwades Stud Fillies & Mares Stakes. “It’s a bit of a quick return, but she’s come out of the race well last week, and it’s a step down in class. I’m hoping for the best,” said Meade.
Reflecting on Sunday’s effort, Meade commented: “She ran the exact same race she ran her last couple of runs. She seems to be very genuine, and that seems to be just about our level. These kind of races are running out, so we said we’d roll the dice again.”
Meade has a host of entries at next week’s Listowel Festival, but Galway Plate victor Pinkerton doesn’t feature. “He had a little injury to his hind leg when he came back from Galway,” the trainer explained. “He had to rest for about a month. He’s fine now, but it’ll be another while before he’d be ready to run.”
10-year anniversary
Saturday’s race at Gowran Park marks 10 years since Dermot Weld and Pat Smullen triumphed with Juddmonte home-bred Brooch, marking his trainer’s 15th group winner and his rider’s 100th success of the season.
It saw Brooch extend her unbeaten record to three from three, and she would go on to make that four in the Group 2 Lanwades Stud Stakes the following spring. Aga Khan home-bred Etneya came within a neck of landing the 2020 running for Weld, and connections have a strong chance of going one better today with another daughter of Siyouni in Azada.
She shaped like a smart filly when making a winning debut at Leopardstown in October and returned to finish sixth at 12/1 in the Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas. That effort saw her sent off favourite for the Celebration Stakes, where she took third behind the vastly more experienced Lord Massusus.
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