John Ingles provides an overview of the key things to note on Thursday.
Will it be Mother’s Day at Thurles?
Thurles earned a reprieve from closure in the summer, and the County Tipperary track has been rewarded with what could prove a strong maiden for two-year-old fillies (13:45) that opens its card. ‘Hot Trainer’ Joseph O’Brien has won two of the last four renewals and accounts for four of the field. Three of those are newcomers, with Johanna Walsh making most appeal among her yard’s runners, being a daughter of Sea The Stars who fetched €460,000 as a yearling.
But Aidan O’Brien, also with the 'Hot Trainer' flag, has won this maiden before too, including last year and notably in 2019 when it went to the subsequent Irish 1000 Guineas winner Peaceful. O’Brien senior runs two fillies in the Derrick Smith colours, including Cape Primrose who is out of another of the stable’s Irish 1000 Guineas winners, Again, and shaped as if she would be better for the run when fifth in a big field on her debut at Naas last month.
Cape Primrose is the mount of Wayne Lordan while stablemate Mother’s Day makes her debut under apprentice Jack Cleary. Mother’s Day really takes the eye on pedigree, being by Frankel out of the Coronation and Matron Stakes winner Lillie Langtry. That makes her a close relative to not only yet another Ballydoyle Irish 1000 Guineas winner Empress Josephine, but also those excellent fillies Minding and Tuesday who both counted the Oaks among their big wins. Mother’s Day is one to note, especially if the market speaks in her favour.
Term of Endearment the class act at Bath
The highlight on Bath’s card is the Beckford Stakes (14:30), a listed contest for staying fillies over a mile and three quarters. Among the more interesting runners is Siege of Troy who is the mount of last year’s successful jockey Oisin Murphy. Johnny Murtagh sends Siege of Troy over from Ireland with good claims on form judged on her fourth in the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes at Royal Ascot and third in the Group 3 Ballyroan Stakes at Leopardstown. However, her run when down the field in the Ebor last time means she’s yet to prove herself over this far.
But the trip won’t be a problem for Term of Endearment who is the class act in the field having shown smart form when with Henry de Bromhead last season, winning the Bronte Cup at York and the Lillie Langtry Stakes at Goodwood.
Now with William Haggas, Term of Endearment is looking for her first win this year and the return to listed company could be what she needs to return to winning ways. She has run in the same two races she won last year, and while she’ll need to step up on her fourth at Goodwood last time, her head second to Scenic in the Bronte Cup in May wasn’t far off her best and suggests she retains the ability to go close for her ‘Hot Trainer’ here.
Heavy ground a plus for Woven
An ability to handle testing conditions will be an important consideration at Ayr where heavy going is forecast. That strengthens the claims of Michael Dods’ veteran Woven in the six-furlong handicap (15:25). Both his wins for his current stable have come on heavy ground, including when popping up at 16/1 at Haydock around this time last year.
Admittedly, Woven doesn’t have the most reliable of records overall but it looks significant that his best race this year came under the softest conditions he has encountered so far in 2025 when an excellent second over course and distance in last month’s Bronze Cup. Refitted with cheekpieces for the first time in a while, he was the first home in his group in the big field and finished well to go down by a neck to Winged Messenger after having to wait for a gap to make his run.
Having been unlucky there, Woven wasn’t seen to best effect last time either on good ground at Haydock but he’s on the same mark he won from last season and heads the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings. With underfoot conditions in his favour, he looks worth a chance to come good.
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