Curragh Saturday reports, reaction and free video replays

Celeron back on track in Railway

The well-backed Celeron got his career firmly back on track with an authoritative success in the GAIN Railway Stakes.

A good winner of a course-and-distance maiden on debut, he failed to make an impact in the Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot on his next start.

However, back on home turf and with Oisin Murphy in the saddle he never looked in danger of defeat throughout the Group Two contest.

Once given the office he picked up nicely to go three lengths clear of Tribeca who in turn was a length-and-a-quarter ahead of 11/10 favourite Confucius.

Winning trainer Michael O'Callaghan told Racing TV: "I'm very pleased and very relieved. I was still slightly apprehensive about staying at six furlongs in this company, he's a horse that will probably want a mile next spring and Oisin confirmed that when he came back in.

"He said he found the pace a bit hot through the middle part of the race but was able to hold his position and he's a big horse, about 16.1, a big stride, and Oisin said it was his class that got him there. He took plenty of pulling up and is very exciting for everybody.

"He's a real miler in physique, he's a big, strong colt, a lovely mover. He's by Mohaather out of a Siyouni mare and is starting to really confirm what we thought of him."

No Cover for home sprinters

Cover Up led home a British one-two-three-four in the Tulfarris Hotel And Golf Resort Sapphire Stakes.

Eventual third Jakajaro was the early leader and still in front approaching the final furlong.

He was eventually worn down by Partisan Hero (14/1) but he, in turn, had no answer to the late charge of the 7/1 winner ridden by James Doyle.

George Boughey's 5/2 favourite Rosy Affair was fourth.

Ed Crisford, who trains Cover Up on a joint-licence with father Simon, said: "We thought this track would suit him well.

"I was a little bit worried because there was no rain. He handled it super and he finished really well.

"We'll run in the Nunthorpe [at York] and maybe come back here for the Flying Five."

Impressive Moody completes four-timer

Moody completed a four-timer when running her rivals ragged in the Al Shira'aa Racing Meadow Court Stakes.

Paddy Twomey’s charge has been running over further but took the drop back ten furlongs in her stride under a positive Billy Lee ride.

The jockey had matters covered all the way down the home straight and the 15/2 winner ran on strongly to the line to beat William Haggas’ Rhapsody by three-and-a-quarter lengths.

Disappointment of the race was Moody’s stable-companion One Look who was under pressure two out and weakened into sixth.

Paddy Power and Sky Bet cut the winner to 16/1 from 33s for the Yorkshire Oaks.

“I told James Doyle (on One Look) to be careful, ‘Billy’s in one and won’t be coming back’," the winning trainer told Racing TV.

“I’d say she’s talented and I just wanted to get a bit of running into her. She’d won at a mile-and-a-half and Mr Fabre ran her at nine furlongs in France.

"We felt she had the ability here for this mile and two and I could have waited for the Give Thanks on August 13th but I have her in the Jean-Romanet, the Yorkshire Oaks and all those type of races.

“If I'd waited for the Give Thanks I wasn’t going to be able to bounce out into one of them. So I said to Billy jump out and see what she’s made of and it worked out well.”

Mason shines on Sonndad

Sonndad led home a one-two for the British raiders in the Liverpool FC Foundation Scurry Handicap.

Genesis blazed an early trail for the home team and had the majority of the field cooked at the two furlong pole.

But Joanna Mason aboard the 9/2 favourite, trained by Mick and David Easterby, had matters covered and along with runner-up Dark Thirty, began to close him down.

The pair were both past the hare inside the distance and Sonndad was the stronger from there, going on to score by half-a-length.

“This horse has got me to some amazing meetings, Royal Ascot, winning down at Epsom two years running and I can’t thank the owners and my grandad, the boss, and my uncle enough," the winning rider said.

“We’ve won this race before so it’s always an aim if we’ve got one good enough. He was definitely unlucky in the Wokingham when he was drawn on the wrong side and he always needs a horse to take him into a race.

“It worked out perfectly today and it’s all paid off.”

Weld unleashes exciting prospect

Porto Vecchio made the perfect start to his career in the Juddmonte 'Lead Artist' Irish European Breeders Fund (C & G) Maiden.

The son of Frankel has a tremendous pedigree being a full-brother to Irish 1000 Guineas winner Homeless Songs and travelled sweetly in second behind the front-running favourite Anchor Road for much of the contest.

Chris Hayes produced him to lead a furlong out and his partner stretched out well to beat another promising newcomer, Victory Speech, by half-a-length.

Speaking to Racing TV afterwards winning trainer Dermot Weld said: “He’s worked very nicely at home but there was a little but of immaturity. I’ve been very careful with him with the dry ground over the past few weeks but anything we’ve asked him to do, he’s done well.

“It’s actually only his first or possibly second time on grass and I think we can see a lot of progress from him. We won the 1000 Guineas with his full-sister and if he’s as good as her, he’ll do. Homeless Songs was very talented and he’s always shown a lot of ability this horse.

“We’ll see how he comes out of this race. The National Stakes has always been in my mind for him. I said back in February or March that was the target for this colt and that remains.”

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