A total of 35 horses remain in contention for the inaugural Irish Stallion Farms EBF Gowran Classic, which takes place at the Bank Holiday meeting at Gowran Park this coming Monday, June 3.

The richest race in the history of the scenic Kilkenny racetrack, the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Gowran Classic offers prize money down to tenth place, with a total purse of €200,000.

In addition, the winner will receive an automatic free entry into the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh on Sunday, June 30th. This will apply to both colts and fillies.

It is no surprise then to see the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Gowran Classic so heavily subscribed with five British-trained possibilities among the entries, including a pair of Karl Burke representatives, Golden West and Mach Ten, as well as Grey Charger, from the William Haggas yard, Charlie Johnston’s Sindoriyno and The Ice Phoenix, who could make the trip across the Irish Sea for Charles Hills.

Of course Dermot Weld’s reputation for spotting an opportunity around the world is set in stone and the master of Rosewell House has Harbour Gem in the mix.

Twice placed as a juvenile when trained by Barry Fitzgerald, the daughter of Zoffany was runner-up in a maiden on debut for Weld behind subsequent Group 3 winner Wendla at Naas in March.

After floundering in the mud at Leopardstown, Harbour Gem relished the good ground as well as a step up to ten furlongs when staying on well for a neck victory in the Irish EBF Spring Series Median Auction Maiden at Cork.

Spring Series

The Irish Stallion Farms EBF Gowran Classic is the culmination of the Spring Series, designed to provide more opportunities for three-year-old middle-distance horses with a median price of no more than €75,000.

The total prize money for the series is €330,000, with a minimum fund of €25,000 per race.

Jessica Harrington’s Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden winner at Cork, Kinesiology, is one of the other interesting contenders in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Gowran Classic, along with stablemate Fleur De Chine, while Aidan O’Brien leaves in Ocean Of Dreams, which started this season running in the Group 3 Ballysax Stakes after winning on his only outing as a two-year-old at Leopardstown last October.

Joseph O’Brien, Ger Lyons, Willie McCreery and local man, Tom Mullins are among those with multiple entries.

The Irish National Professional Bookmakers Association is sponsoring free entry to Gowran Park for racegoers for the attractive Bank Holiday Monday fixture.

Nessa Joyce, Irish EBF Manager said: “The €200,000 Irish EBF Gowran Classic is the centrepiece of the new Spring Series, offering greater opportunities to three-year-old middle-distance horses. It is encouraging to see Harbour Gem, a Spring Series winner, entered and in with a chance to take some of the prize money which is all the way down to 10th place.

 

Exciting entry

“Another exciting element for the winner is an automatic free entry to the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby, hopefully we are cheering on the Gowran Classic winner on June 30th at the Curragh.

 

“The Irish EBF board are very grateful for the tremendous support given by every one of the 24 trainers and owners with entries in the €200,000 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Gowran Classic and we are keen to firmly establish the Spring Series and Gowran Classic in the Irish racing programme for years to come.”

 

Gowran Park Racecourse Manager, Eddie Scally, said: “Gowran Park is delighted to be hosting the inaugural €200,000 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Gowran Classic this Bank Holiday Monday, the richest race ever held at the track. There is free entry, sponsored by the Irish National Professional Bookmakers Association, for all racegoers when they download their ticket from www.gowranpark.ie - we have loads of activities planned for all the family and the forecast is looking positive so we can’t wait for Monday now.”