Sergei Diaghilev gets vote to step up and complete recovery mission at Gowran Park

Backed into 4/6 favourite ahead of his debut at the Curragh on Guineas weekend back in May, he tracked the leaders edged ahead before the furlong-pole and, despite idling, held off Switching Sides by a half-length, with Folsom Blues third

Sergei Diaghilev and Ryan Moore won at Curragh in May. Pic: Healy Racing

Fri, 07 Aug, 2026 - 06:15

John Ryan

Trust Sergei Diaghilev to bounce back from his Royal Ascot defeat in this evening’s listed Coolmore Stud Churchill 2-Y-0 Stakes in Gowran Park.

This feature, better known as the ‘El Gran Senor’ and traditionally run in Tipperary, has attracted a fascinating field of six, with the selection’s trainer Aidan O’Brien seeking an eighth win in the race.

And Serghei Diaghilev, a full-brother to Endorsement, looks the one to beat.

The runner-up went on to score at Fairyhouse before disappointing in the Group 2 ‘Railway’ while Folsom Blues stepped-up to record a wide-margin success in a Gowran Park maiden before finishing second to Florida Bay in the Group 3 ‘Tyros’ at Leopardstown.

On the back of that debut success, ‘Sergei’ was sent off 11/4 favourite for the listed ‘Windsor Castle’ at Royal Ascot but, drawn on the wrong side, was never able to get involved, ultimately plugging on to fill ninth spot, beaten over four lengths, behind King Of Cloughan. But he had subsequent ‘Railway’ winner Celeron, also drawn low, back in fifteenth.

Stepping-up to a mile and on a recovery mission, Sergei Diaghilev gets the vote over some potentially dangerous opponents.

Joseph O’Brien runs Killarney winner Venetian Power and promising filly Bellesque, the mount of Dylan Brown McMonagle, who scored on her second start at Leopardstown.

Paddy Twomey’s City Of Dubai, narrow conqueror of Francillon and Oklahoma on his debut in Killarney, could be anything.

Jim Bolger’s filly Sea Of Rain, off the mark at the fifth attempt in Leopardstown, probably has to improve while Bellewstown winner Full Volume is closely matched with Venetian Power on their Killarney clash.

The Stephen Thorne-trained, 76-rated Innisfallen should be tough to beat in the opening claimer following a close second to the rapidly improving Dancing Saxon in Limerick and a respectable seventh behind Eddie G in a competitive Galway handicap.

For National Hunt fans, we have a hurdle/bumper card in Wexford where, despite a lengthy absence, the Joseph O’Brien-trained Shaboozee might take the Neville Hotels Handicap Hurdle.

This fellow won twice at Ballinrobe last summer and hasn’t been seen since finishing fourth to Last Kingdom in the competitive ‘Lartigue’ at Listowel last Septermber.

If he’s fit and strong in the market, J J Slevin’s mount should take plenty of beating.

Selections for Gowran Park

5.05 Inishfallen (n.b.)

5.35 Rion Rubette

6.10 Alfred Tennyson

6.45 Oppenheimner

7.20 Sergei Diaghilev

7.55 Benevento

8.30 Vervain

Next Best

5.05 Profit Surge

5.35 Mallavelly