This weekend begins with the Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh, where some of the leading three-year-olds around will battle for a first prize worth €280,000.
Gstaad and Distant Storm head the betting after their recent clash in the British 2000 Guineas, although both were beaten on that occasion by Bow Echo. The rematch promises to be one of the highlights of the weekend.
Earlier on Saturday morning, attention in Australia turns to the Group 1 Doomben Cup, where 2025 Melbourne Cup winner Half Yours heads the market in what looks a strong renewal.
Sunday brings another major Classic with the Japanese Oaks in Tokyo, a race carrying more than £700,000 to the winner. Closer to home, Uttoxeter and Kelso both stage National Hunt cards, while Sha Tin hosts another notable meeting in Hong Kong.
Back in Ireland, the Curragh again takes centre stage with the Tattersalls Gold Cup and the Irish 1,000 Guineas providing a high-quality Sunday card.
Monday’s Bank Holiday means another busy day of racing across Britain and Ireland, with meetings from Windsor, Cartmel, Redcar, Leicester and Huntingdon. Ballinrobe stages the Mayo National, while in the United States, Memorial Day racing at Santa Anita includes the Grade 1 Gamely Stakes and the Shoemaker Mile.
The midweek action continues with meetings at Hamilton on Wednesday, alongside Newton Abbot, Beverley and Cartmel.
Thursday’s standout card comes from Sandown, where the Brigadier Gerard Stakes and Heron Stakes headline the early evening meeting as the Flat season continues to build momentum.
Big races this week
6:57am Doomben, Saturday (SKY)
XXXX Doomben Cup (Group 1)
1m2f, Flat Turf
3:05pm Curragh, Saturday (RTE)
Greenlands Stakes (Group 2)
6f, Flat Turf
3:40pm Curragh, Saturday (RTE)
Irish 2,000 Guineas (Group 1)
1m, Flat Turf
3:40pm Haydock, Saturday (ITV)
William Hill Temple Stakes (Group 2)
5f, Flat Turf
4:30pm Curragh, Sunday (RTE)
Irish 1,000 Guineas (Group 1)
1m, Flat Turf
6:35pm Ballinrobe, Monday (RTV)
Mayo National (Listed Race)
2m7½f, Chase
0:30am Santa Anita, Tuesday (SKY)
Shoemaker Mile Stakes (Grade 1)
1m, Flat Turf
6:42pm Sandown, Thursday (RTV)
Heron Stakes (Listed Race)
1m, Flat Turf
*All races above are listed in UK time.
Looking ahead
Attention is already beginning to turn towards Epsom, where one of the biggest weekends of the Flat season arrives on the 5th and 6th of June. Friday’s card features the Betfred Oaks, the premier Classic for fillies.
Saturday then brings a superb double-header with the Coronation Cup and the Betfred Derby. The Coronation Cup regularly attracts some of the best older middle-distance horses in training, before the Derby takes centre stage later in the afternoon. Aiden O'Brien's Benvenuto Cellini is the current market favourite (5/2).
Race Notes
3:40pm Irish 2000 Guineas - Curragh
The Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh looks set to revolve around Gstaad, who arrives as a strong odds-on favourite after his excellent run in the British equivalent at Newmarket.
Aidan O’Brien’s colt pulled well clear of the remainder of the field with Bow Echo in the closing stages of the English 2000 Guineas, only to find that rival too strong late on. With Bow Echo not making the trip to Ireland, Gstaad now looks to have a major opportunity to gain Classic compensation.
The son of Starspangledbanner already has top-level form to his name after landing the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf last season, while Ryan Moore again takes the ride for Ballydoyle, who are also represented by Neolithic.
Charlie Appleby’s Distant Storm heads the opposition after finishing third at Newmarket, although he has ground to make up on the favourite based on that form. Billy Loughnane, fresh from steering Bow Echo to Guineas success, takes over in the saddle with William Buick suspended.
One of the more interesting alternatives could be Thesecretadversary, who may have shaped better than the finishing position suggests in the English Guineas after racing too freely through the early stages. If settling better this time around, there is a feeling he could get closer to the principals.
The remainder of the field have something to prove at this level, although Alparslan brings solid form into the race after his Greenham Stakes success and should ensure the pace is honest early on.
Selection: Gstaad (Win), Alparslan (E/W)
Antepost Watch
One of the biggest movers in the Derby market this week has been Item, whose unbeaten record remained intact with an impressive victory in the Dante Stakes at York.
The Andrew Balding-trained colt travelled strongly throughout under Colin Keane before pulling clear in the closing stages to beat Action and the well-fancied Christmas Day by nearly three lengths. It was his first outing of the season and a performance that immediately strengthened his Epsom claims.
A son of Frankel, Item had already shown plenty of promise as a two-year-old, but this latest success suggested he belongs firmly among the leading middle-distance colts of his generation.
The bookmakers reacted quickly after York, with Item’s Derby odds tumbling from around 33/1 earlier in the year into as short as 4/1 following the Dante victory.
Racing Syndicates
Pompey Ventures have added an eye‑catching new recruit to their 2026 team: an unraced, unnamed two‑year‑old colt by Starspangledbanner out of Privacy Order, to be trained by dual Guineas‑winning handler George Boughey at Craven House in Newmarket.
He was secured in a private deal for £120,000 and comes with a very smart hook – he is a full brother to the unbeaten Protection Act, who is two from two and already rated 102, with Royal Ascot firmly on the agenda.
Interest in learning more, click here.
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Racing News
Here are a few racing updates that caught the eye this week.
Racing Legends - Annie Power
Annie Power’s debut came at Galway in August 2012, where she was ridden by Patrick Mullins and beat nine rivals. Three weeks later at Wexford, she started 6/4 favourite in a mares’ bumper and won by 15 lengths, showing a level of class that caught the eye.
After that, she was sold to Rich and Susannah Ricci and moved to Willie Mullins’ powerhouse yard in County Carlow.
Thanks for reading! Let’s catch up again next week.
Regards
The Newsletter Team
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