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What's on this week: Irish Oaks and Super Sprint spearhead a brilliant weekend

Snowfall: bids to become the 15th filly to complete the Epsom and Irish Oaks double
Snowfall: the dominant Cazoo Oaks winner could return for the Irish equivalent at the Curragh on SaturdayCredit: John Walton (Getty Images/Pool)

Monday

The sole jumps card of the day at Newton Abbot has the pick of the action on Monday, with a competitive 2m5½f handicap hurdle (2.20) the highlight of a seven-race card.

Heading the market is the Paul Nicholls-trained Kilmington Rose, who has already scored twice around this track and could make it four wins on the bounce.

Paul Nicholls: has given the Irish trainers a taste of their own medicine after Cheltenham
Paul Nicholls: aiming for a four-timer with Kilmington Rose on MondayCredit: Edward Whitaker

Monday also marks the first day of the five-day Killarney July festival, while Ayr hosts another Flat card.

All-weather action can be found at Dundalk and Wolverhampton, with an additional fixture at Lingfield following Windsor's abandonment due to waterlogging.

Tuesday

The 135th Year Of The Watt Memorial Handicap (3.15) at Beverley is the pick of the action with Mark Johnston set to send out Golden Flame, who disappointed in the Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot but could benefit from this drop back in class.

Racing continues at Killarney while Downpatrick hosts a seven-race jumps card. The only British jump racing comes at Southwell, while Bath and Brighton round out the day's action.

Wednesday

Racing heats up at Killarney with the Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Cairn Rouge Stakes (5.55), which two years ago was won by the classy Viadera, who went on to Grade 1 success in the US for Ger Lyons.

Soft ground could be the key for Lyon's runner Holly Golightly, who if declared could renew rivalries with the Aidan O'Brien-trained Friendly after losing out to the Galileo filly in a Gowran Park maiden in May.

A 2m4f handicap chase (3.40) at Uttoxeter is the pick of the British action, while many eyes will be drawn across the English Channel for the Grand Prix de Paris (6.10) at Longchamp.

Irish Derby winner Hurricane Lane and Royal Ascot scorer Alenquer have both been supplemented for the Group 1, which has been won by Ballydoyle supremo Aidan O'Brien in each of the last three years with sons of the late Galileo.

Hurricane Lane: Godolphin's top-class three-year-old will return to action at Longchamp on Wednesday
Hurricane Lane: Godolphin's top-class three-year-old will return to action at Longchamp on WednesdayCredit: Patrick McCann

Thursday

Ryan Moore returns to action following his double Group 1 triumph at Belmont on Saturday evening for Aidan O'Brien.

He is in line to pick up a string of rides at Leicester on Thursday, while O'Brien focuses on a busy Leopardstown meeting that includes the Group 3 Green Room Meld Stakes (6.00).

The Killarney meeting switches codes and the highlight of the day comes in the Torc Waterfall Handicap Hurdle (3.45).

Hamilton and Chepstow round out the afternoon's racing, while Epsom and Worcester entertain into the evening.

Friday

There is a double helping of Listed action on Friday with the first coming in the bet365 Rose Bowl Stakes (2.45) at Newbury.

Oisin Murphy has ridden the last two winners of this 6f contest, and is booked on Frankella this year for Andrew Balding. The filly was a surprise 20-1 winner when breaking her maiden at Newmarket last week, and the step up in class exudes confidence from her connections.

Oisin Murphy may go looking for a Rose Bowl hat-trick with Frankella (centre)
Oisin Murphy may go looking for a Rose Bowl hat-trick with Frankella (centre)Credit: Edward Whitaker

Hamilton hosts the Listed British Stallions Studs EBF Glasgow Stakes (8.00) at its evening meeting, a 1m3f race which is not one to ignore having been won last year by Ascot Gold Cup winner Subjectivist.

Flat fixtures at Haydock, Nottingham and Newmarket round out the day's cards.

Saturday

The Juddmonte Irish Oaks (3.25) at the Curragh takes centre stage on a busy day's racing on Saturday.

Five-time winning trainer Aidan O'Brien has only won the Group 1 once in the last six years, but he wields a strong hand of fillies that could be dangerous over the 1m4f test.

Epsom's runaway Oaks winner Snowfall, Joan Of Arc and Mother Earth among over 20 early entries for O'Brien still to be whittled down as the week continues.

The Group 2 Sapphire Stakes (2.50) and the Paddy Power Scurry Handicap (4.00) sit on either side of the Oaks on the Curragh card, while the Group 3 bet365 Hackwood Stakes (3.00) sets the stage at Newbury ahead of the Weatherbys Super Sprint Stakes (3.40).

Two Listed races are also on the cards for Saturday at Newbury (1.50) and Newmarket (3.30).

Sunday

The Curragh rounds out its two-day meeting with the Group 2 Romanised Minstrel Stakes (2.10), named after the now-retired Irish 2,000 Guineas winner, who won the race in 2019 and 2020.

Romanised: two-time winner of the Minstrel Stakes now retired to stud
Romanised: two-time winner of the Minstrel Stakes now retired to studCredit: Patrick McCann

The other Group 2 of the day is the Kilboy Estate Stakes (3.55), while a quieter day's racing takes place in Britain with meetings at Redcar, Newton Abbot and Stratford.


Read more:

'He's a really exciting horse' – Angus Gold on Shadwell's latest star

Seamie Heffernan: you wouldn't find a Galileo waving a white flag

Joy for Ken Condon as Laws Of Indices wins thrilling Prix Jean Prat


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Published on 12 July 2021inNews

Last updated 14:21, 12 July 2021

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