Sisters to 2017 Classic winners set to clash at the Curragh

Saturday is set to see Aidan O’Brien and the Coolmore axis take the wraps off two juveniles with the potential to be among the most exciting two-year-olds to run in 2017, with Clemmie and Snowflakes both set to line up in the 6f fillies’ maiden at the Curragh at 1.50pm.

Both are by Galileo, and both received significant pedigree updates earlier in the month when Churchill, a brother to Clemmie, and Winter, a sister to Snowflakes, landed the 2,000 and 1,000 Guineas.

Clemmie, whose year-older brother is set to contest his second Classic of the season when lining up in the Irish equivalent of the Newmarket contest later on the same card, was bred by Liberty Bloodstock out of the Storm Cat mare Meow, a daughter of lightning-fast two-year-old Airwave, who defeated Russian Rhythm when landing the 2002 Cheveley Park Stakes for trainer Henry Candy.

Meow raced only at two, but showed plenty of talent in her five racecourse starts, namely when winning a Listed event at the Curragh and when beaten just a neck into second behind Maqaasid in the 2010 Queen Mary Stakes.

Interestingly, despite an abundance of precocity in the family none of Churchill, Meow or Airwave managed to make a winning debut. So should Clemmie, who has been fitted with a tongue tie for her first start, fail to trouble the judge on Saturday, connections will have every right to still harbour hopes of her following in the footsteps of her illustrious relatives. With Ryan Moore in the saddle though, it would appear she is the pick of the O'Brien-trained trio.

Snowflakes is another daughter of Galileo out of a mare whose racing career was hallmarked by brazen speed, as Laddies Poker Two, a daughter of Choisir, is best remembered for landing an almighty gamble in the 2010 Wokingham Stakes on her fifth and final start.

Until Winter, who is set to tackle the Irish 1,000 Guineas on Sunday, landed a gamble of her own when taking the 1,000 Guineas, the pedigree of Snowflakes was something of a rarity among Coolmore’s stock, as she had no black type under either of her first two dams.

There are 13 other fillies declared in opposition to the Classic winners siblings, including the likes of Butterscotch, a half-sister to the talented Coach House, and Reehaab, a daughter of Dubawi and UAE Oaks winner Raihana.

View the Curragh racecard