Trainer Paddy Twomey has a shot at Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby glory on Saturday through the outsider French Claim, and will be doubly represented in the following day’s Group 1 Curragh feature.
The rapidly progressive filly Rosscarbery was supplemented into the Alwasmiyah Pretty Polly Stakes on Tuesday at a cost of €30,000.
Unbeaten in four starts since joining Tipperary-based Twomey this season, Rosscarbery is set to join her stable companion La Petite Coco in the mile-and-a-quarter feature.
The latter, good enough to beat Love and Thundering Nights in last season’s Blandford Stakes, has yet to start this term.
Mark O'Connell: The mystery is not why we Irish have responded to Israel’s barbarism. It’s why others have not
Afghan student nurses crushed as Taliban blocks last hope of jobs
Emer McLysaght: The seven deadly things you should never buy a child at Christmas
‘No place to hide’: Trapped on the US-Mexico border, immigrants fear deportation
In contrast Rosscarbery is progressing rapidly through the ranks from an all-weather maiden win at Dundalk, via handicaps at Sligo and Roscommon, and last time out landing the Group 3 Munster Oaks in Cork.
The Twomey pair are among 14 left in the Pretty Polly, which Joseph O’Brien has won in two of the last three years with Iridessa in 2019 and Thundering Nights last season.
He has three options this time, including the Prix Saint-Alary heroine Above The Curve.
Another French Group 1 winner on course to line up is the cross-channel hope Dreamloper, winner of the Prix d’Ispahan at Longchamp on her last start.
She is one of four British-trained hopefuls still in the mix for Sunday’s €300,000 feature.
David Simcock’s Ad Infinitum could be accompanied by the William Haggas pair My Astra and Purplepay.
The latter, a €2 million purchase last year, won the Prix Sandringham on her last start at Chantilly, a step up from her sixth to Homeless Songs in the Irish Guineas on her previous trip to the Curragh last month.
My Astra, beaten just once in four starts, landed a Listed contest at Ayr last month by a dozen lengths.
Above The Curve holds an entry in next month’s Juddmonte Irish Oaks and on Wednesday evening Naas hosts its own trial, a race won by the subsequent 2020 classic heroine Even So.
The strength of O’Brien’s fillies could get underlined in the Listed Al Shira’aa Trial where he runs both Seisai and Grecian Slipper.
Seisai has to concede a penalty and that could be tough against a stable companion who impressed in her maiden victory at Navan.
Ryan Moore is on The Algarve in that race and also teams up with the regally bred Only in the finale.
