Agartha and Homeless Songs renew rivalry in fascinating Moyglare Stud Stakes

Sunday: 3.30 Curragh
Moyglare Stud Stakes (Group 1) | 7f | 2yo fillies | RTE1/RTV

This race provided Joseph O'Brien with his first Group 1 victory as a trainer with Intricately five years ago and it appears his best chance of adding to that top-level haul this weekend.

It took her five starts to get off the mark but Agartha has more than earned her place as a market leader for the Moyglare Stud Stakes in her last two outings.

Any doubts around her front-running breakthrough in the Group 3 Silver Flash Stakes at 16-1 were quashed emphatically after blitzing the field in last month's Debutante Stakes.

It was a clear step up on her first start since being snapped up by owner Scott Heider and she seems extremely versatile in terms of ground, landing Group contests on both good and soft going.

Homeless Songs: finished two lengths clear of Agartha when winning on her debutCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

The daughter of Caravaggio has beaten four of her seven rivals in the last couple of months but her biggest challenger could be Homeless Songs, who had her measure in a Leopardstown maiden in July.

It must be acknowledged that Agartha has clearly come a long way from that encounter three starts ago and the experience gained in Pattern company gives her an edge over the Dermot Weld-trained contender.

However, it's hard to get away from the fine impression that Homeless Songs created on that occasion and given it was her debut – in comparison to Agartha making her fourth outing – it's certainly plausible that the Frankel filly is the more exciting long-term prospect.

The Joseph O'Brien-trained runner could be more ready for this Group 1 test now, though.

Cairde Go Deo: supplemented for the Moyglare Stud Stakes for €30,000Credit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Ger Lyons supplemented bright prospect Cairde Go Deo at a cost of €30,000 earlier in the week and needs to finish at least third to earn that back in prize money.

She oozed class when beating History here five weeks ago and makes more appeal than the Ballydoyle pair of Concert Hall and Prettiest, both needing to bounce back from below-par efforts.

The beautifully bred Discoveries has two and a half lengths to find with Sunset Shiraz on their Debutante Stakes form, but quicker ground should bring them closer together.

Weld: 'We'll have our have work cut out to confirm form with Agartha'

Homeless Songs would be an apt winner of this race given she's owned and bred by the race sponsors, hailing from a strong Moyglare family.

It's been nine weeks since her successful debut and the master of Rosewell – bidding to win the race for the first time since Flutter Away in 1987 – believes his representative faces a demanding task.

Dermot Weld on Homeless Songs: 'She's a nice filly who goes there with a chance'Credit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

"The form of her Leopardstown maiden win has obviously worked out very well with Agartha winning twice since," he said.

"She has obviously improved a lot and we'll have our work cut out to finish ahead of her again. Homeless Songs is a nice filly though and she goes there with a chance."

What they say

Joseph O'Brien, trainer of Agartha
She's a tough and hardy filly who wears her heart on her sleeve. There are some new challengers here who she didn't encounter last time, including Homeless Songs. We were second to her in a maiden but I'd like to think that our filly has come forward from then and hopefully she'll be able to put it up to them.

Aidan O'Brien, trainer of Concert Hall and Prettiest
Concert Hall came out of her last run in good form and seems well but when she steps up even further in trip, I think it'll suit her even better. We think she's gone the right way from her last start. It might not have suited Prettiest last time in the Phoenix Stakes but she'll prefer going seven furlongs and seems to be in good form.

Jessica Harrington, trainer of Discoveries
She's in great form and I just hope we don't get much rain at the Curragh. The better the ground, the better chance she has.

Gavin Cromwell, trainer of Sunset Shiraz
We've held her in high regard, that's why we ran her in the Debutante last time. The trip is fine for her but ideally she'd prefer more rain to have more of an ease in the ground.

Read more Sunday previews:

2.20 Curragh: Love faces serious opposition dropping down in grade for the Blandford Stakes

2.55 Curragh: Nunthorpe Stakes heroine Winter Power faces fierce test in Flying Five

4.05 Curragh: 'Straightforward' Point Lonsdale out to extend perfect record in National Stakes

4.40 Curragh: Can Search For A Song land the hat-trick in the Irish St Leger at the Curragh?

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