Celeron fancied to give O'Callaghan maiden Group 1 success
Celeron and Oisin Murphy win the Group 2 GAIN Railway Stakes. Pic: Healy Racing
The Keeneland Phoenix Stakes is the headline act on another hectic weekend of Irish racing and Celeron can give Michael O’Callaghan a first Group 1 success by landing Sunday’s Curragh feature.
The Curragh has already proven a happy hunting ground for Celeron, the Mohaather colt making a winning debut there at the start of June.
On the back of that maiden success, Celeron was sent to Royal Ascot for the Windsor Castle Stakes. However, he was always on the backfoot after a sluggish start, eventually crossing the line in 15th.
Despite that setback, O’Callaghan opted to step him up in class at the Curragh on Irish Oaks weekend, a move Celeron rewarded by winning the Group 2 Railway Stakes in impressive style.
He’ll need to step up again to complete a Curragh hat-trick on Sunday but there’s no reason why he can’t do so.
Aidan O’Brien has won this race a remarkable 17 times but only once since 2017 and never with a filly, something he will be hoping to achieve with Sun Goddess this weekend.
A daughter of Sioux Nation, Sun Goddess is also two from two at the Curragh and looks sure to run another big race at the home of Irish Flat racing but she may have to settle for minor honours this time.
There’s a ‘big’ clash in the preceding race, the Group 3 Hotels And Resorts Phoenix Sprint Stakes, where Curragh specialist Big Gossey and British raider Big Mojo are on a collision course.
Narrow preference is for the Michael Appleby-trained Big Mojo, victorious in the Group 1 Sprint Cup at Haydock last September.
He hasn’t won in four subsequent starts but three of those races were in top-level company and his run when eighth in the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot, beaten only two and a quarter lengths, was a fine effort.
If he runs to that level here, he should prevail, though the remarkable Big Gossey — a 10-time winner at the Curragh — won’t go down without a fight.
Elsewhere at the Curragh, Shakespeare can make it third time lucky by winning the Guidenstown Stud Irish EBF Maiden.
Third on debut at the Curragh in June, the Dubawi colt was sent off a 4-9 favourite at Leopardstown last month but had to settle for second behind Green Dreamer.
The Ballydoyle contender can recoup those losses this weekend.
Sunday’s jumps fare comes from Downpatrick where the feature is the Randox Rated Hurdle, a race that can go the way of the Gordon Elliott-trained Cosmos d'Ainay, a runaway winner at Cork last month.
Both Irish meetings on Saturday are National Hunt and it could be a very good day for Henry de Bromhead.
The Waterford trainer may be able to land the final three contests on Wexford’s seven-race card starting with the hat-trick chasing Rockonliam in the Poolcourt Engineering Handicap Chase.
Lady Doyanne has decent claims in the next race, another chase, while Honey Buck's may be able to deny Closutton debutant Alicious in the finale, a fillies’ bumper.
De Bromhead might also strike in Kilbeggan where Mont Star, a distant second to Hygge at Cork last month, may be able to land a knockout blow to Tyson Fury in the Bernard Kenny Maiden Hurdle.
Darren Norris' picks:
2.15 Felicity Smoak
2.50 Ocean Murphy
3.25 Nadia's Boy (NB)
4.00 Oneforgonzo 4.35 Rockonliam (Nap)
5.05 Lady Doyanne
5.35 Honey Buck's
2.15 Tell The Boys
2.50 Marian Avenue
3.25 William Tell
4.00 Leave In Secret
4.35 Teenage Kiss
5.05 Bynx
5.35 Alicious
5.18 Facile Ocean
5.48 Syosset
6.18 Mont Star
6.48 Pets Georgina
7.18 Anodandawink
7.48 Mickie Angel
8.18 Inishtearaght
5.18 Captain Hanley
5.48 Surviving Murmansk
6.18 Tyson Fury
6.48 Rocky's Diamond
7.18 Zolpharine
7.48 Rexem
8.18 Appy Ways
1.15 Snowing
1.45 Admired Beauty
2.15 Shakespeare (Nap)
2.50 Sarahmae
3.25 Big Mojo (NB)
4.00 Celeron
4.35 Go Athletico
5.10 Marmeladova
1.15 New Bond Street
1.45 Ibelieveicanfly
2.15 Anchor Road
2.50 Ipanema Queen
3.25 Big Gossey
4.00 Sun Goddess
4.35 Hugo's Girl
5.10 Dark Viper
1.58 Shoda
2.33 Cosmos d'Ainay
3.08 Barrogstown Girl
3.43 Poetic Twist
4.18 Young Doran
4.53 Georgia Celena
5.28 Culldoo
1.58 Lilannbee
2.33 Malbay Madness
3.08 Tropical Twist
3.43 Samba Train
4.18 Thesilverbridle
4.53 Hay Baby
5.28 Vargas
