We round up the best quotes from connections ahead of day two of the Irish Champions Festival at the Curragh.
2.55 - Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai Flying Five Stakes
John Quinn - Highfield Princess: “We’re looking forward to it and she’s come out of York well. It’s a tough race and Bradsell is in it and Tim Easterby’s horse (Art Power) who is absolutely dynamite at the Curragh and then there’s a few others as well, but we’re happy with our filly.
“The Curragh suited her last year, so I hope it suits her again on Sunday. Everything has been fine since York and it’s great to have an animal like her. She wears it on her sleeve and we’re looking forward to Sunday.”
Alastair Donald, racing manager for Art Power's owners King Power Racing: “He seems to have a bit of a love affair with Ireland and seems to find a key couple of lengths over there,” said He has often been a length short in Group Ones over here and we’re looking forward to seeing him. He has won over five furlongs in Ireland before. He’s never been short of pace and it’s quite a stiff five up the hill there, so we’re not worried about the five.
“The ground should be fine and he has a good draw, but obviously Bradsell and Highfield Princess make it a very strong renewal. Without being rude to the others it looks to be between the three of them, and if he can show his previous Irish form, he has to be a live contender.”
3.25 Moyglare Stud Stakes
Willie McCreery - Vespertilio. “She’s a lovely filly and it was a nice run last time,” said the trainer. “The going is down as good for Sunday and it may well quicken up a bit before her race, but it was similar ground last month.
“Ylang Ylang is the obvious one we’ve got to beat, but if you’re not in it, you can’t win it. We’ll just let Billy see how the race pans out before he decides how to take things, but we’re looking forward to it, that’s for sure.”
Aidan O'Brien - Ylang Ylang: “She’s done everything we’ve asked of her so far. She won nicely the last day, but I thought the second filly (Vespertilio) was coming home very well with her. She’s in good form and she’s ready to go again. Seven furlongs and fast ground she’s already proved she likes as she won at the Curragh first time out. It is another step up again for her, though.”
Fiona Craig of Red Viburnun's owners Moyglare Stud: “She’s come on for her first run, when she ran very well,” said . “To give Chris Hayes his due, he dropped her in behind and taught her and I’ve seen her work since and she worked much sharper. I think it was more greenness than anything and it took a few strides for the penny to drop, but she galloped out way beyond the others at the end. She’ll have moved on a bit since then, whether she’s moved on enough to win this race is another matter, but all you can do is compete and see.”
Tom Pennington, racing manager for Orenllai's owners Amo Racing: “She’s a filly we hold in high regard and she won her maiden at Goodwood in impressive style. She went to France then and I thought she ran a very good race in the Prix du Calvados. She had to cut out her own running which is always tricky, but still managed to run a nice race.
“She’s in good form, she came out of Deauville well and this has always been the plan. My only slight concern would be the ground and I think she is better with a bit of ease in the ground, so that would be the slight worry.”
4.00 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National Stakes
Aidan O’Brien - City Of Troy and Henry Longfellow: “At the moment it’s the plan (to run both). We’re happy with both at the moment."
Adrian Murray - Bucanero Fuerte: “It’s a dream to be involved with a horse like him and I never could have imagined it could have happened to me – it’s just what dreams are made of. He seems to be getting better and better. He won at the Curragh the first day and then went to Royal Ascot for us to finish third and that for us was as good as having a winner. He then came home and won the Railway and then won the Phoenix – it’s hard to believe. He looks like a horse that’s going to train on, he’s a big, long scopey horse and a beautiful mind. He’s thriving with racing and hopefully he keeps it going.
He’s always struck me as a horse that needed a step up in trip and I can’t wait to see him running over seven furlongs and a mile. You’d be expect him to keep improving as we step him up. He worked very well at the Curragh last week and I could not be happier with him.”
4.35 Comer Group International Irish St Leger
Fiona Craig of Kyprios' owners Moyglare Stud: “I’m not sure he’s quite there yet, but I think he’s ready to run. I know he had a racecourse gallop at the Curragh a good few weeks ago, so we’ll see. He’s just a bigger horse than he was before and I think they’ve gone steadily with him because of the injury, but I don’t think Aidan would be running him if he didn’t think he was going to run well.
“It will just be great to see him back at the races because he’s a very popular horse, there’s more people ask me about Kyprios than anything else we own! He’s the horse that wherever you are in the world, people ask you about the big chestnut horse.”
Chris Wall, racing manager to Eldar Eldarov's owners KHK Racing: “He’s been knocking on the door at this level this season. Obviously we’ve got to take on Kyprios and Emily Dickinson, they look to be the main dangers over in Ireland. He’s in good form and we’re hoping for a good run from him. Obviously a Kyprios in tip-top condition would be a difficult task for him, but he’s coming off a considerable lay-off so we might have an advantage there.
“We were only narrowly behind Emily Dickinson at Goodwood last time and I would have thought it would have been pretty close between those two again. We go there chance, hopefully he can get his first victory of the year in this race.”
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