Turf Travels III

Friendship in E.P. Harty´s yard:

As the Curragh is still a major building site, Ridgewood Pearl is ready to travel:

Morning workout at the Curragh - this a John-Oxx lot.

Pencil Hill from Tracy Collins´ yard is the hugely impressive winner of the 2-year-old Listed event, beating subsequent Group winner You´resothrilling. The latter is a sister to Giants Causeway and made her debut here.

Benbaun simply loves the Curragh; he arrived looking spot-on in the parade ring and won in decisive fashion on the track, beating old stalward Moss Vale.

Irish 2000 Guineas next, and again it was A Rebel with a Cause. Widely unconsidered at 25/1 in Newmarket, it was a different picture here: Cockney Rebel was hot fav, and really never looked like getting beat; albeit not being the most impressive in the parade ring.

Another leading condenter was Jim Bolger´s French 2000 Guineas runner-up Creachadoir, who looked in great shape before the race:

Cockney Rebel is making his move, with Creachadoir trying to rally; Vital Equine (red) gave his all and lets his ears drop.

Crossing the line, The Rebel is a very cosy winner; and Peslier can smile in delight.

Connections with a sense for the occasion:

The Tattersalls Gold Cup has attracted some weak fields in the past, but the 2007 edition was as good as it comes, with last years Irish Derby winner Dylan Thomas, last years Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Nighttime and York´s International Winner Notnowcato all in the line-up, among others. A fascinating race and a fascinating battle right to the line.
Notnowcato going down:

Nighttime stretching out on her way down:

Dylan Thomas looked in fabulous shape too:

This is Fracas:

Notnowcato has set what looked a good pace, and coming round the bend Dylan Thomas came and made his challenge. It was a battle royal all the way to the line:

Crossing the line, Notnowcato is the gutsy winner:

The 1000 Guineas was all about Finsceal Beo, who tried to become only the second dual Guineas Heroine (in fact she made an unprecidented bid to become a triple Guineas winner, contesting the french version only one week after her runaway win in the english edition, but failed narrowly.)
Finsceal Beo looked well before the race, but was kept on the grass verge all the time in the paddock, and one was wondering whether the rigid timetable had taken its toll. Her win here on the Curragh was all heart and class, and good old courage and fighting spirit.
This is the field parading in front of the stand; note Dimenticata leading Finsceal Beo, whose name, by the way, means "Living Legend" in gaelic.

Approaching the line, it is oh so close for Finsceal Beo, who had to fight hard to keep 66/1 shot Dimenticata at bay:

One last photo and a very talented filly to note: Timarwa (Daylami - Timarida) gets off the mark in her secong attempt and is Royal Ascot-bound now. It was only a maiden, but she couldn´t have been more impressive:

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