Saturday’s Curragh Card
Saturday’s Curragh card is headlined by the 2026 Irish 2,000 Guineas, with Aidan O’Brien’s Gstaad bidding to follow up his excellent run in the English equivalent at Newmarket. We preview the Classic alongside the rest of the key races on the card.
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Gstaad Heads Market After English Guineas Run
In some ways, this is an easy race to preview because the English 2,000 Guineas second (Gstaad), third (Distant Storm), fifth (Thesecretadversary) and seventh (Power Blue) are in the line-up and, with the exception of Power Blue, are at the top of the market.
Gstaad finished eight lengths in front of Distant Storm at Newmarket.
At the 48-hour stage, we were betting 33/1 bar four on what is the first Classic of the Irish season. Gstaad was a hot favourite, followed by Distant Storm, Thesecretadversary and then Alparslan, who won a valuable sales race at the Curragh last September and returned this year with a good win in the Greenham Stakes at Newbury, a key Classic trial in Britain.
Fifth-best in the betting was Power Blue.
Gstaad is trained by Aidan O’Brien, who has won the Irish 2,000 Guineas 12 times, although he has won it just once in the last eight years (Paddington in 2023).
At Newmarket, questions were posed as to whether Gstaad would see out a truly-run mile, but he seemed to answer that question in the positive. The Curragh is generally held to be a stiffer track than Newmarket so the question must be asked once again, as it does of Distant Storm.
Can Distant Storm Reverse The Newmarket Form?
At Newmarket, Distant Storm was racing over one mile for the first time and, after travelling well under William Buick, his effort flattened out approaching the final furlong.
If wishing to defend him, you could say that his stable was out of form at the time (this has since changed) and ask whether he was racing on the possibly unfavourable far side in the English Guineas.
He will also race in cheek-pieces for the first time on Saturday. Billy Loughnane, who rode the winner of this year’s English 2,000 Guineas, Bow Echo, will be on board.
Thesecretadversary ran a solid race at Newmarket, although he finished nearly 1.5 lengths behind Distant Storm there and just over 9.25 lengths behind Gstaad.
Power Blue finished a further length behind Thesecretadversary and his future surely lies in the sprinting division.
Alparslan Brings Strong Juvenile Form Into The Race
Physically, there is a lot to like about Alparslan, and he’s talented too.
He finished four lengths behind Gstaad in the 7f Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket last October, and was 2.5 lengths behind Distant Storm in the same race.
He also finished 1.75 lengths behind Zavateri, who he beat in the 7f Greenham Stakes by one length on April 18th this year.
Zavateri had earlier beaten Gstaad by a head in the 7f Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stakes at the Curragh on yielding going in September. On Thursday, the going at the Curragh was given as good to yielding.
As you can tell, aside from in the English 2,000 Guineas, there is not a huge amount between Distant Storm and Alparslan based on these pieces of form.
However, the obvious caveat is that running over seven furlongs as a 2yo is very different to running over 8f as a 3yo eight or nine months later.
Irish 2,000 Guineas Verdict & Betting Tip (Sat, 3:40pm)
It adds up to an intriguing race.
I opted for him at Newmarket and, having doubled him with Renegade, each-way, in the Kentucky Derby on the same day (see earlier previews on this blog), I’ll play up the winnings on Distant Storm.
His stable is in much better form now and Gstaad is a little too short in the betting to get involved with him, worthy favourite that he is.
Selection: Distant Storm
Other Races On Saturday’s Curragh Card
1.20pm – 2YO Maiden Preview & Betting Angle
Aidan O’Brien runs three in a 2yo race that will be contested by newcomers, but Joseph O’Brien’s Folsom Blues is worth checking in the betting.
He’s by Blue Point and is a half-brother to two winners, one of them a Group 3 scorer, both of which won on their debuts.
2.30pm – Keadeen Handicap Preview
Apercu, Perry Mason & Perfect Your Craft Among Key Runners
The €50,000 10f Keadeen Handicap for 4yo+ is an interesting contest.
Apercu won this race last year off 93 and is now rated 92. He beat Cloud Seeker (who is now 4lbs worse off) by a short head that day.
Retracement finished fifth that day and is now 4lbs worse off with Apercu for 1.25 lengths and 2lbs better off with Cloud Seeker.
Apercu is closely-weighted with Iron Fist based on a recent Cork run.
Retracement beat In My Teens by half-a-length over 10f here last October and is one pound better off at the weights today. Fiver Friday was third in the race, 1.25 lengths behind In My Teens and is now 5lbs worse off with Retracement and 4lbs worse off with In My Teens.
Dawn Rising won a Group 3 race here in November 2024, but that came over 2 miles and half-a-furlong.
Paddy Twomey has three runners:
- Perfect Your Craft (Billy Lee)
- Deressa (Colin Keane)
- Iowa City (Nicola Burns)
Perfect Your Craft has won three of her six races for Ralph Beckett and was acquired for 300,000gns in December. She could still be well-handicapped.
Deressa was formerly with Dermot Weld and was acquired for €120,000 in November. She has been quite highly tried so far and makes her handicap debut.
Railwayview Lady isn’t without a chance in first-time cheek-pieces, while Yulia lost her chance at the start at Sligo last time on what was her first run for Joseph O’Brien.
Finally, Perry Mason finished a good third at Cork over 12f last time out from today’s rating on what was just his second run beyond a mile.
He generally runs well here — two wins, a second and a fourth from five runs — and he might reward an each-way play.
Each-Way Selection: Perry Mason
3.05pm – Greenland Stakes Preview
Powerful Glory Faces Strong Sprint Field
There are four British runners in the €130,000 Group 2 Weatherbys Ireland Greenland Stakes (6f, 4yo+), the highest-rated of which is Powerful Glory, who is trained by the in-form team of Richard and Peter Fahey.
He has won three of his five starts and, last time out in October, won the Group 1 Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes at Ascot at odds of 200/1.
He has to concede a Group 1 penalty to the field but is clearly progressive, although he has been absent for 217 days.
Among his opponents are:
- Bucanero Fuerte
- Montassib
- Spycatcher
- Comanche Brave
- Big Gossey
It’s a good race.
If sharp enough, Powerful Glory is good enough to land this nice prize and prove that his Ascot win was no fluke.
Selection: Powerful Glory
4.15pm – Gallinule Stakes Preview
Causeway Looks The One To Beat
Aidan O’Brien has won this race 15 times in the last 20 years.
He runs three here, including the beautifully-bred Drop Dead Gorgeous, who is a Dubawi half-sister to three Classic winners that include dual-2,000 Guineas winner Gleneagles.
However, Ryan Moore has opted for Causeway, who won an 8f Listed race at the Curragh last time out and is closely related to seven-time Group 1 winner Magical and three-time Group 1 scorer Rhododendron.
He is stepping up in trip today, which could well suit as he needed some stoking up last time through greenness rather than quirk of character.
He is the one to beat.
Selection: Causeway
4.50pm – 7F Handicap Preview
Substance Looks Progressive
Down The Glen reverts to 7f for the first time since winning over the trip at Galway and can’t be ruled out.
Dundalk winners Glitter And Glory and Golden Trigger will be running in a handicap for the first time, as will Zenford, who has shown promise in three 7f maidens so far.
Substance won easily at Roscommon last time and a 10lbs rise in the ratings is unlikely to stop him from running well again.
Navan winner Star Of Sapphire is another trying handicaps for the first time, although she has been absent since last July.
Gavoo ran well when fourth after meeting trouble in running at Naas over 6f last time and Quiet Mutiny finished second in a Listed race last time, albeit beaten nine lengths by the winner.
There are plenty of potential improvers in an interesting race but, with a bit more improvement probably still to come, Substance gets the nod over Gavoo.
Selection: Substance
5.25pm – Habitat Handicap Preview
Sir Les Patterson Appeals In Competitive Sprint
The 23-runner €50,000 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Habitat Handicap (6f, 4yo+) presents a challenge, in which I’ll side with Sir Les Patterson.
He is rated 94 on turf but won at Dundalk off 99 in February.
Prior to that he beat Dark Ace over 6f at Dundalk and that horse was unlucky not to win off 88 at Newbury last Saturday, having run off 80 at Dundalk.
Trainer Stephen Thorne’s stable has progressed quickly in the relatively short time that he has held a licence and Sir Les Patterson might well provide further evidence of this.
Selection: Sir Les Patterson
5.55pm – 10F Maiden Preview
Count Bezukhov Heads Interesting Finale
A 17-runner 10f maiden for 3yos closes the card.
There is no runner from Aidan O’Brien’s stable, although Willie Mullins runs The Shandyman, who finished second over 8f at the Curragh last time out on his second start.
The form is working out well and today’s longer trip should suit.
Johnny Murtagh-trained newcomer Walk In Provence is by Frankel out of a mare that won a Listed race, while Sakoku is by Sea The Stars and bred to stay well.
Michael O’Callaghan’s Lonely Island is open to improvement at today’s longer trip, while Donnacha O’Brien runs the €180,000 yearling purchase Numantia.
Finally, Joseph O’Brien’s Count Bezukhov is bound to be popular following his debut third at Leopardstown over 12f on May 10th.
He races in a first-time tongue-tie and is by Wootton Bassett out of the Group 1 German Oaks winner Miss Yoda.
He is an obvious contender and the selection.
Others that could go well are The Shandyman, Sakoku and Numantia. As ever, the market should provide some clues.
Selection: Count Bezukhov
There’s also racing at York on Saturday. BAR 1 Betting sponsored jockey Shane Gray gives us his thoughts on his book of rides here.