Tipperary Racing Scene

While not everything went his way, Aidan O'Brien had a Curragh weekend to remember as he landed both the Irish 2,000 Guineas and Irish 1,000 on successive days, saddling six winners overall.

The highlight of his treble on Saturday was very much the victory of Gstaad in the Group 1 Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas, the Ballydoyle maestro’s 13th win in the race.

A strong 4/11 favourite after his runner-up effort in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket, Gstaad made no mistake at his short odds and swept clear passing the furlong pole to score by three lengths under Ryan Moore, with Charlie Appleby’s 5/1 shot Distant Storm home in second place and 40/1 chance Pacific Avenue, another representing the Newmarket trainer, a length away in third.

O’Brien and Moore had earlier won the opening two-year-old maiden over six furlongs with the debutant Sergei Diaghilev which readily justified his odds of 4/6 favourite in beating the Jessica Harrington-trained 12/1 chance Switching Sides.

It was narrower again as the 5/6 favourite Causeway completed a treble for O’Brien and gave Ryan Moore his fourth success on the day in the Group 3 Heider Family Stables Gallinule Stakes. He led early in the race and again over a furlong out before holding Natalia Lupini’s 12/1 shot Zia Zabel by a head.

Moore had also landed the Group 2 Weatherby’s Ireland Greenland’s Stakes on the Donnacha O'Brien-trained Comanche Brave. A 7/4 favourite on the back of a recent run behind superstar sprinter Ka Ying Rising in Hong Kong, the four-year-old was well on top here in beating 18/1 chance Big Gossey by two lengths.

At the Curragh on Sunday, Aidan O'Brien landed a 1-2 in the Group 1 Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas with the Wayne Lordan-ridden Precise getting the better of Ryan Moore’s mount and 4/6 favourite True Love in taking fashion.

Coming from well off the pace, the 4/1 chance led well inside the final furlong to deny her better fancied stable companion by two and a half lengths, turning the form of the Newmarket 1,000 Guineas on its head.

It was the trainer’s 12th win in the race and the sixth time he’s won both the Irish 1,000 Guineas and 2,000 Guineas in the same year.

Ryan Moore had ridden O’Brien’s earlier winners, beginning with 4/11 favourite Sun Goddess who raced to a five-length victory in the opening six-furlong maiden for two-year-olds.

Moore also brought his tally for the weekend to six winners when landing the Group 3 Kilkea Castle Marble Hill Stakes on the 8/15 favourite Great Barrier Reef. He came with a strong challenge to overhaul Wayne Lordan’s mount Carry The Flag, a 5/1 chance, late in the day, winning by a length and a quarter to remain unbeaten in two Curragh starts.

Paddy Twomey recorded another big success as the Billy Lee-ridden City Of Memphis took the Group 2 Lanwades Stud Stakes. The Zinlo Syndicate four-year-old made it three wins for the season when beating Robson De Aguiar’s 66/1 outsider Carolina Jetstream by a length.

Ben Coen bagged his second winner of the week when taking the eight-furlong handicap on Andy Oliver’s 11/1 chance Pretty Omagh Girl.

Leading after two furlongs, the four-year-old had the race in safe keeping with well over a furlong to race and she came home an easy four and a quarter lengths clear of the Natalia Lupini-trained 100/30 favourite Summer Island.

At the beginning of the week, David Marnane landed a double at Cork on Tuesday evening where his winners were ridden by Luke McAteer and Andrew Slattery.

McAteer made all the running to take the five-furlong handicap for three-year-olds on the MCR International-owned Allsortz, a 6/1 chance.

In contrast, Slattery brought the 10/1 shot Maggie Walker from off the pace when winning the six-furlong auction series maiden for two-year-olds. Another in the colours of MCR International, she led inside the final furlong to beat Evanna McCutcheon’s even money favourite Hanney Boy by two lengths.

Kevin Coleman had Colin Keane back in the winners’ enclosure as the Atomic Racing-owned Pacioli took the seven-furlong maiden.

Leading over two furlongs out, the 6/1 shot edged clear inside the final furlong to score by a length and three-parts from Mark Fahey’s 20/1 chance Ocean Echo.

David Marnane and Luke McAteer were winners again as the 4/1 chance Ballymagreehan scored a clearcut success in the eight-furlong handicap at Gowran Park on Wednesday. Four lengths was the winning margin as the Paul Rooney-owned four-year-old made much of the running to beat the Andy Slattery-trained 14/1 shot Chipsrdown.

Ben Coen and trainer Johnny Murtagh won the eight-furlong maiden with the 11/10 favourite Rolltight, again at the main expense of Andy Slattery and his son Andrew. Owned by the Roll Tight Partnership, the three-year-old headed Slattery’s 16/1 shot Loughrea close to the finish to score by three-parts of a length.

John Ryan and Daniel King were among the winners at Limerick on Thursday when Zolpharine scored an easy win in the opening division of the two and three-quarter-mile handicap chase.

In the trainer’s own colours, the 11/2 chance came from off the pace to lead on the run to the final fence and he was quickly clear to beat Henry de Bromhead’s 5/2 favourite Jukebox Johnny by all of seven and a half lengths.

UPCOMING MEETINGS

Wexford – Wednesday, May 27 (First race 5.12pm)

Fairyhouse – Thursday, May 28 (First race 2.12pm)

Limerick – Thursday, May 28 (First race 5.47pm)

Tramore – Friday, May 29 (First race 4.50pm)

Down Royal – Friday, May 29 (First race 5.05pm)

Listowel- Saturday, May 30 (First race 1.51pm)

Tramore – Saturday, May 30 (First race 5.30pm)

Listowel – Sunday, May 31 (First race 2.14pm)

Kilbeggan – Sunday, May 31 (First race 2.26pm)