Curragh Saturday reports, reaction and free video replays

Impressive Riffa up and running for season

Al Riffa opened his account for season when proving a cut above his rivals in the Michael John Kennedy Curragh Cup.

Second to Rebel's Romance in the Hardwicke at Royal Ascot, the 4/5 favourite was stepping up to a mile-and-six for the first time on Saturday and seemed to relish it.

Always travelling powerfully under Dylan Browne McMonagle, he quickly settled matters when sent to the front approaching the furlong pole.

He proceeded to pull five lengths clear of nearest pursuer Shackleton with plenty of petrol left in the tank.

The winning rider told Racing TV: “He’s a stable star for all of us and has been a great horse for me. I’m very lucky to get my leg across him. He’s run some super races this year and stepping up to a mile and six today was interesting and he definitely got it well and it brought out a bit of improvement in him too.

“He gets a mile-and-a-half really well and is a very relaxed horse, you can put him where you want in his races. He was never going to overdo it stepping up in trip whatever the tempo is like. He’s very straightforward, quickened up good and hit the line well.”

Sizzling Love saunters to Railway win

True Love blitzed her rivals to run away with the Group two GAIN Railway Stakes at the Curragh.

Winner of the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot last time, Aidan O’Brien’s charge ran out every bit as easy a winner as a starting price of 1/2 suggested she would.

The daughter of No Nay Never tracked her front-running stablemate Puerto Rico before being unleashed soon after passing the two furlong marker.

She was clear in a matter of strides, Ryan Moore merely keeping her up to her work to draw five lengths clear of her toiling rivals.

Paddy Power and Sky Bet cut the winner to 16/1 from 20s for the Betfred 1000 Guineas.

“She’s a lovely filly. We loved her before Ascot and obviously she won the Queen Mary which is a very important race to win for a filly,” the winning trainer told Racing TV.

“We weren’t sure about the six furlongs so it was a lovely race and if she was to go to the Morny, the Phoenix Stakes or the Cheveley Park she would have had to run six so Ryan just let her relax the first half and he said there didn’t feel like there was any limit.

“She was doing it very easily at halfway and quickened up very well. Gstaad could go to the Phoenix and if that did happen she might go to the Morny but obviously the lads will see what they want to do and how she comes out of it.”

Blaze cut for Nunthorpe

Arizona Blaze is 8/1 from 12s with Paddy Power and Sky Bet for the Nunthorpe at York after running out an authoritative winner of the Barberstown Castle Sapphire Stakes.

Second behind Time For Sandals in the Commonwealth Cup and sent off the 9/4 joint-favourite, David Egan was in full command of the Group Two contest from the furlong pole.

That's when he sent Adrian Murray's charge for home and while British raider Mgheera tried to close, the winner was two lengths clear at the line.

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