Dreamy continues perfect start to her career | Curragh Saturday review & replays
By Sporting Life
17:18 · SAT August 31, 2024
A review of the action from the Curragh on Saturday where Dreamy ran out an impressive winner.
Dreamy made it two wins in as many starts with a comfortable victory in the Newtownanner Stud Irish EBF Stakes at the Curragh.
A debut winner in a valuable maiden at Goodwood at the start of the month, Dreamy boasts an excellent pedigree as a daughter of American Pharoah out of Yorkshire Oaks winner Tapestry.
Sent off the 6/5 favourite for Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore, Dreamy always looked in control on her first attempt in Group Three company, kicking for home over furlong out.
Fiery Lucy and Alla Stella put up a strong challenge, but Dreamy had their measure, winning by a length and a half and a short head.
Betfair make her a 10/1 chance from 25s for the Fillies’ Mile, while offering the same price about her in the Oaks next year.
“I’m delighted with her, she’s lovely,” said O’Brien.
“Ryan is very impressed with her. She’s a baby and he was minding and teaching her. She’s a fine, big mare.
“We’ll see whether we go again or not this year, she doesn’t have to.
“Ryan said she was never really engaging at all until they came beside her.”
When asked if she could be a possible Oaks filly, he added: “I’d say that’s what she is, a big Oaks filly.”
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Ides Of March strolls to Round Tower success
Ides Of March enhanced his already fine reputation with a comprehensive win in the Heider Family Stables Round Tower Stakes at the Curragh.
Fourth at the first attempt back in June, Ides Of March then suffered a surprise defeat at the hands of stablemate The Lion In Winter on his second start, with that rival going on to land the Acomb Stakes at York.
Ides Of March finally opened his account at the third time of asking over six furlongs at this track earlier in the month and Aidan O’Brien opted to stick to the sprint trip for this Group Three task.
Ridden with supreme confidence by Ryan Moore, Ides Of March travelled well through the early stages before asserting his authority in the last two furlongs.
The 2/5 favourite passed the post with three-and-a-quarter lengths to spare over Usdi Atohi with Rudi’s Apple nearly two lengths further back in third.
Ides Of March holds a clutch of autumn entries but O’Brien has pinpointed the Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes on September 28 as a likely target.
“He was professional and grew up a lot from the last day,” said O’Brien.
“I’m delighted and we’ll look at the Middle Park with him now. He’s a powerful, fast horse and he finds it easy to go quick. He’s big and he’s strong.
“He was going very easy through the race before Ryan started to let him go.
“I think he’s versatile (ground-wise). Wootton Bassetts handle soft ground as well and he handles fast ground very easy, he’s a very good mover.
“The mare (his dam Nickname) was a very good mare in America (Grade One winner).”
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Tarawa takes Snow Fairy spoils for Weld
Dermot Weld’s decision to remain in Ireland with Tarawa paid dividends as she secured Group Three glory in the Snow Fairy Fillies Stakes at the Curragh.
The trainer admitted he had been considering a trip to America with the four-year-old filly, but eventually opted to stay closer to home with his previous Listed winner.
Having placed on numerous occasions in Group race company, Tarawa landed the Glencairn Stakes in June over the same nine-furlong trip she faced here and she was rated an 11/2 chance for this contest.
Chris Hayes had her in front with two furlongs to run and while Hanalia and Wingspan stayed on to good effect in the closing stages, Tarawa was a length and a quarter too good, with just a head separating the placed pair.
“It was a good performance by her, she’s been a model of consistency,” said Weld.
“I know she’s been placed more times in Group races, but she has a lot of black type and having won a stakes race at Leopardstown, it was just lovely to go and win a Group race with her today.
“I thought she had it won a long way out. I appreciate she got first run on them a little bit, but the track is riding quick today and the plan was to sit very handy because they are not coming from off the pace.
“The way every race is working out today you have to sit very handy. That’s what he did and the rest is history.
“When she won her Listed race at Leopardstown that’s what she did and she ran a good race at Leopardstown when she was second to a good horse of Aidan’s (Diego Velazquez).
“I think a mile-and-one is her correct trip. She’s after winning her stakes and her group race over a mile-and-one.
“She was in a graded race at Kentucky Downs and we gave it a lot of thought but we decided to stay here.
“I have a few ideas for her now.”
Tarawa is entered in the Coolmore America “Justify” Matron Stakes at Leopardstown on September 14, with Weld not ruling out the Group One contest.
He added: “We’ll see how she comes out of it, that could be a possibility. It depends on the makeup of the Matron.
“She’s very good around Leopardstown so we’ll give it definite consideration.”
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Moore shines on Wigmore Street as jockey completes four-timer
Ryan Moore produced a last-to-first masterclass aboard Wigmore Street in the Paddy Power Supporting Cancer Trials Irish Cambridgeshire at the Curragh.
Trained by Joseph O’Brien, Wigmore Street was a juvenile winner back in 2022 when handled by Simon and Ed Crisford, but had failed to figure in any of his three starts in Ireland so far.
The 22/1 chance again looked unlikely to make an impact as he was at the back of the field behind horses with a furlong to run.
However, when Moore switched to the stands rail to launch a late challenge, Wigmore Street fairly flew home to edge victory by a head and a nose in a thrilling finish with State Actor and Independent Expert.
O’Brien said: “It was the most incredible ride, he just dropped him on the line.
“Dylan (Browne McMonagle) felt after the last day in Tipperary that he didn’t enjoy making the running, so we said we’d cover him up today and see what happens.
“It was a great pot and he could either go into another handicap or go for a Listed race, it will be one or the other.
“We had hoped to go to Ascot but had a little setback before that. It’s nice to get a good pot with him.”
Moore was completing a four-timer having also triumphed with Dreamy and Ides Of March in the two juvenile Group Three contests earlier on the card, plus Acapulco Bay (2/11 favourite) who made all for victory in the Kara Quinn Memorial Irish EBF (C&G) Maiden.
Second on debut at the track earlier in the month, he made no mistake this time as he came home a length-and-three-quarters winner over fellow Aidan O’Brien-trained runner Genealogy.
“We’re very happy with him, he was very green in front,” said O’Brien.
“The last day he came from behind and Ryan said he never really picked the bridle up at all today. He felt that he was in second gear the whole time.
“It was new to him but he was very happy with him. He really didn’t go forward at all and was just waiting the whole time because he hadn’t been in front before.
“Obviously he’s going to be a horse that will take his time in a good race. We saw what he did the last day over seven when he came flashing home.
“The last day he travelled and quickened and today he didn’t go forward at all because all he was doing was looking, he was getting no lead. I’d say he’s quicker than he looked today.”
Moore suffered a rare reverse in the FBD Hotels And Resorts Faithlegg Hotel Nursery Handicap as 9/4 favourite Sweet Chariot had to settle for fifth place.
Victory went to the Johnny Murtagh-trained King Thistle (6/1), who was steered to a one-and-a-quarter-length victory by 10lb-claimer Patrick McGettigan.
The 16-year-old rider was securing his first success and said: “That was unbelievable, especially the fact that it came at the Curragh. It was only my fourth ride, as well.
“I was travelling so well that I had to pull out a bit earlier than I wanted to. The horse in front was coming back at me, so I had to pull out and send him for home.
“The feeling passing the line was even better than I ever dreamed it would be.”
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