Great Barrier Reef can maintain perfect record at the Curragh
Great Barrier Reef and Wayne Lordan won the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot in June. Pic: Healy Racing Photo
Great Barrier Reef, off the track since June, will be expected to retain his unbeaten record by conceding weight to his rivals in Saturday's Heider Family Round Tower 2-Y-O Stakes at the Curragh.
The card features three Group 3 events, the €100,000 Tote Irish Cambridgeshire and, on a major fundraising day, the Pat Smullen Cancer Trials Ireland Charity Race, in which Nina Carberry will make a welcome return to the saddle, on board the Gordon Elliott-trained Ndaawi.
Great Barrier Reef, a late withdrawal from last week’s Group 1 Prix Morny, racked up a hat-trick in the first half of the season, culminating in a half-length victory over Adaay Of Scarlett in the Group 2 Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot in June, when the Ballydoyle second-string was ridden by Wayne Lordan.
His two earlier wins were achieved over today’s course and distance, a wide-margin debut success in a maiden and a more workmanlike victory in the ‘Marble Hill’ (Group 3) at the Guineas meeting, when reeling in pacemaking stable companion Carry The Flag.
The No Nay Never colt has triumphed on ground varying from soft to ‘good to firm’ and boasts a rating of 109.
Today, he must shoulder a 5lb penalty for his Group 2 success and concede weight to a field which includes Paddy Twomey’s filly Velozee (rated 108), a creditable third to Sun Goddess in the Group 1 Keeneland Phoenix Stakes over this route.
Another potential threat, if the ground stays good, is the Ger Lyons-trained Livenka, impressive in the valuable Ballyhane Stakes in Naas before swerving the ‘Lowther’ in York while Michael O’Callaghan’s debut winner Push The Boat Out is in the ‘could be anything’ category.
A field of 18 will contest the Tote Irish Cambridgeshire, chasing a winner’s prize of €58,900. Andy Slattery’s progressive four-year-old Loughrea is a hopeful each-way choice.
Winner of a course and distance maiden, he scored on his handicap debut in Leopardstown and was raised 5lb. for that defeat of Aviatrice.
Rated 91, Loughrea looks a potential stakes-level performer and should figure prominently.
Sunday's action is at Cork Racecourse, Mallow, a card which features the Group 3 Coolmore Little Big Bear Stake, a wide-open contest in which Danny McLoughlin’s Magny Cours, runner-up to True Love in a Guineas trial at Leopardstown, is having her first start since contesting the Irish 1,000 Guineas.
But, arguably, the most intriguing runner is Jessica Harrington’s Cromac Quay, who ran into Group 1 fillies on her first two starts before scoring impressively at Leopardstown back in June.
She hasn’t been seen since but looks an exciting prospect, capable of success at this level.
Benevento, successful over a longer trip at Gowran Park, beating Rahmi, should prove tough to peg back in the seven-furlong Glenvale Stud Race.
1.18.Darkness Falls
1.53.Samnina
2.28.Luca Brillante
3.03.Great Barrier Reef (n.b.)
3.40.Faiyum
4.15.Loughrea (Nap)
4.50.Rosato
5.25.Ndaawi
1.18.Albany County
1.53.So Lovely
2.28.Banks Of The Boyne
3.03.Velozee
3.40.Pivotal Attack
4.15.Ribee
4.50.Poweracclaim
5.25.Star Harbour
1.50.Williamsburg
2.25.Dawn Flame
3.00.Benevento (Nap)
3.30.Cromac Quay (n.b.)
4.05.Brussels
4.40.Grande Cuvee
5.15.Arch Enemy
1.50.Diamonds And Dames
2.25.Beau Army
3.00.Bamako Beach
3.30.Dancing Saxon
4.05.Kendall Roy
4.40.Otsana
5.15.Lauderdale King
