Romantic Proposal was cut for the Nunthorpe Stakes at York in August after an impressive success in the Dubai Duty Free Dash Stakes at the Curragh.
Proposal halves in price for Nunthorpe
Eddie Lynam has proved himself a dab hand with sprinters down the years and ROMANTIC PROPOSAL looks to be developing into a smart one following her victory in the Dubai Duty Free Dash Stakes at the Curragh.
While she may be a five-year-old, her career has been one of steady progression to date, but there was no doubt this performance was a career best.
A close second in a Group Three last time out, she was dropped out in last place by Chris Hayes before picking up stylishly with a furlong to run and putting the race to bed some way out.
The 11/4 favourite beat Teresa Mendoza by a length and a half with Quarantine Dreams third.
Betfair cut the winner to 16/1 from 33s for the Nunthorpe at York in August.
“She’s getting better. We took our time with her and didn’t run her at two, progressed at three and this idiot thought she might be a miler!” said Lynam.
“Clipper (Logistics Group, owners) have always had a horse with me and I’ve had a good bit of luck for them. We don’t have many owners so it’s nice to be able to do something good for them and they have been very patient.
“She was always going well but I thought we were running out of furlongs and then she got there in a heartbeat.
“She’s not ground dependent but if it came up slow she might take her chance in the Sapphire, which is back to five. If it didn’t, there are plenty of other options.
“I’ve been quite ambitious and she’s the first one that I’ve entered up in a Group One (Nunthorpe) for a long time. I think she’s good, but the handicapper thinks she’s only 101 and he’s usually right. I think she’s a bit better than that but time will tell.”
14:00 Curragh Full Result and free video replay
1st 8 Romantic Proposal (IRE) 11/4f
2nd 16 Teresa Mendoza (IRE) 4/1
3rd 11 Quarantine Dreams (IRE) 25/1
Winning Trainer :E Lynam | Winning Jockey: C D Hayes
Bears rattles to Railway success
GO BEARS GO repaid the bold decision of his connections to supplement for the GAIN Railway Stakes with a striking success at the Curragh.
Narrowly beaten in last week’s Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot when drawn on the opposite side to winner Perfect Power, he handled the extra furlong with aplomb.
Just nine days after that effort, and with a journey to Ireland thrown in, Go Bears Go showed bright early speed before his jockey Rossa Ryan was content to take a lead off Frankie Dettori on The Acropolis.
With two furlongs to run there were only two jockeys not asking their mounts for everything, Ryan on the eventual winner and Chris Hayes on Fozzy Stack’s Castle Star, who had been dropped out last in the early stages.
While Castle Star was able to go by all his other rivals, he could not reel in Go Bears Go and his chance eventually evaporated when he began to drift to his right.
Go Bears Go (17/2) kept straight and true, though, and for his upwardly-mobile trainer David Loughnane – who broke his Ascot duck last week – it represented the biggest win of his fledgling career.
It was a similar sentiment for Ryan, who only returned on Friday after recovering from a broken collar bone and an appendicitis operation.
Betfair introduced the winner into their 2000 Guineas betting at 33/1.
“He ran a super race in the Norfolk – he was just the wrong side. We were so positive that he’d stay six furlongs,” said Ryan.
“It was a big toss-up before Ascot between the Norfolk and the Coventry. Dave took a massive risk coming here a week later. We’re glad it’s paid off.
“He’s a top-class sprinter in the making I think. He’s got the best attitude being by Kodi Bear.
“A big up to Robson Aguiar (bloodstock agent) and his team, who did prep this lad for the breeze-ups, and they prep a good few of our yearlings. They did a fantastic job with him.
“To Dave Loughnane and all his team, they’ve been rock solid. I have the easy job of steering them and I can only say thanks to everybody.
“I had a hard month. Everybody at Oaksey House got me through it.
“I have to give a massive thanks to my boss Kia (Joorabchian) and everyone at Amo Racing because they had the faith in me to get back on these on such a big weekend and do it.”
Loughnane said: “Fair play to the team at Amo Racing. It was actually Kia’s son Max who put this race forward so close after Ascot, so fair play to the team for supplementing him.
“We walked away from Ascot thinking we were the best horse in the race and were unlucky not to win.
“We’ve come into what was probably the best two-year-old race of the year so far and we’ve put them to the sword and put them to bed.
“We thought he was the best going to Ascot and we thought he was the best going into today and he’s proved that.
“It’s huge for us, especially myself and Rossa coming back to our homeland. It’s the biggest day of my career.”
15:05 Curragh Full Result and free video replay
1st 8 Go Bears Go (IRE) 17/2
2nd 5 Castle Star (IRE) 7/2
3rd 9 Masseto 15/2
Winning Trainer: D Loughnane | Winning Jockey: R G Ryan
Cadillac motors to Curragh victory
Jessica Harrington’s Cadillac returned to action with a gutsy success over Dawn Patrol in the ARM Holding International Stakes at the Curragh.
Having raced in top-class company as a juvenile, Cadillac had not been seen since running creditably at the Breeders’ Cup.
Beaten half a length by subsequent Irish Guineas winner Mac Swiney in the Futurity Stakes, he went on to win on Irish Champions Weekend – booking his ticket for America – before finishing fifth in the Dewhurst.
He lost little in defeat in the Juvenile Turf, coming home fourth of 14 and Harrington was keen to given him plenty of time to get over those exertions.
Cadillac (9/4) seemed to have most to fear from Willie Mullins’ True Self but having seen off her attentions close home, it was Joseph O’Brien’s Dawn Patrol who threw down the last challenge to Shane Foley’s mount.
He spent last year running over staying distances and was sixth in both the St Leger and the Long Distance Cup at Ascot, but he displayed a smart turn of foot over this 10 furlongs, only failing by a short head.
Harrington said: “I thought he was beaten. I’m delighted for the horse as things didn’t go his way last autumn and to come back now, having had a bit of a setback earlier in the spring, is fantastic.
“We’ll try to win a Group One with him. He may have one more run and then go for the Irish Champion Stakes. He loves Leopardstown.
“He’s a proper horse to do that on his first run of the year. He had to squeeze through and do all the things he hadn’t done before.”
Sindhia sizzles in Summer heat
Mick Halford’s Sindhia (8/1) was a slightly fortunate winner of the Dubai Duty Free Summer Fillies Handicap.
Over a furlong out both she and Mia Mento went for the same gap, with Ronan Whelan getting there first which proved crucial.
As soon as Mia Mento got in the clear she fairly flew home, but the line came too soon and she went down by half a length.
Halford said: “She’s a smashing filly and I asked Pat (Downes, Aga Khan’s Irish Studs manager) to keep her in training, which you wouldn’t do too often with a filly with her rating.
“I always felt the best was yet to come with her. She’s a half-sister to Sonaiyla who improved greatly at four and I felt this filly had the potential to do that.
“It’s great to get a winner here this weekend and especially for His Highness, who has been a great supporter of ours, and especially a filly like her when you stick your neck out to keep her in training at four. Hopefully there is more to come from her.”
