There is plenty on offer around the racing world on Saturday. Group 1 prizes in America, as well as plentiful Pattern contests in Ireland feature some notable names below, all of whose chances we have highlighted.
Mauiewowie (3.30 Curragh)
The first of the class 1 prizes on offer at the Curragh is the Listed Curragh Stakes for two-year-olds. The likely favourite for the race runs for a man with a fantastic record in this particular contest.
Ger Lyons has won five of the last eight renewals and his filly, MAUIEWOWIE, is likely in with an excellent chance of making that six in nine. In the red and black crossbelts of Eleanora Kennedy, she got off to a fine start at Naas when winning by 2¼ lengths, but was probably value for greater than that given Colin Keane never got too serious with her.
The striking chestnut was then a fine second on her next start over that same course and distance. That was in a Listed contest such as this one and apart from the winner, who had already won twice, she was ahead of a useful field.
This daughter of Night Of Thunder may well stay further than 5f in time, but she already has plenty of pedigree on course as well as off it. Given her stable’s fantastic record in the race, she is surely likely to play a leading role.
Luxembourg (4.05 Curragh)
This should be a return worth waiting for. Plenty of other three-year-olds have been able to advance their reputations beyond LUXEMBOURG, but Aidan O’Brien’s charge may make up for lost time here.
Unbeaten as a juvenile, Luxembourg won both the Group 2 Beresford Stakes at the Curragh and the Group 1 Futurity Stakes at Doncaster in fine style. The latter victory was particularly impressive given the nonchalant way he beat his rivals, seemingly leaving a fair bit in receive despite a near two-length success.
With Godolphin having such a strong hand for the 2000 Guineas, it was to Luxembourg’s credit that he extracted himself clearly for third in the Newmarket Classic. Given that the trip of 1m may well have been on the short side for the former Derby favourite, that was a top run.
After injuries denied him a chance at Epsom glory which fell the way of new superstar Desert Crown, the son of Camelot now steps up to 1m2f for his Group 3 Royal Whip Stakes. With two stablemates in here to set the gallop, he will have everything going for him and it will be disappointing if this field cannot be taken care of.
Search For A Song (4.40 Curragh)
Joseph O’Brien’s Raise You has become something of a course specialist having now won on his last three trips to the Curragh.
He is up in class once again, but after winning by a combined 9½ lengths the last twice he has been here (both over 1m4f), he is certainly on the upgrade. Nevertheless, there is proven pedigree held not just in Group 3 territory, but in Irish St Legers by his nearest opponent in the market.
SEARCH FOR A SONG, despite her two successes in the Irish Leger, has remarkably become something of a poor relation given she is a full sister to Gold Cup and Goodwood Cup winner Kyprios. That has been emphasises by her having a relatively quiet season, including when behind her brother at Navan earlier this season,
Since then, she was disappointing when quietly fancied to beat Stradivarius at York, while a trip to France did not work out either. However, this has always been the time of year where she really comes alive. Apart from her maiden victory, all four of her wins have come in August or September and she should be very dangerous again here.
Lily Pond (8.01 Churchill Downs)
Santa Barbara won the Grade 1 Beverly D Stakes at the now-closed Arlington Park last year. It was a second successive top tier success in the States for Aidan O’Brien’s charge, who was famously backed into favourite for both the 1000 Guineas and Oaks despite only one run in a maiden beforehand.
Ballydoyle make a raid on the prize once again, with it being run at Churchill Downs this year. This time it is LILY POND who represents O’Brien. Another three-year-old, she arrives with far shorter a reputation, but in form just as promising.
O’Brien calls up John Velazquez with regular cavalry master Ryan Moore booked for Luxembourg back home. That is a positive jockey booking as he seeks to go back-to-back in the race and his filly may well be up to the task.
Lily Pond struggled against the more experienced Rosscarbery over 1m4f and 1m6f earlier in the summer, but bounced back in fine style over 1m1f in the Group 2 Kilboy Estate Stakes last time. She races over the same trip here and will likely be very well-primed for her attack.