Poetic Flare in the mix for Irish Guineas despite French disappointment

PA Sport Reporters
May 18, 2021 12:57 pm

Newmarket Classic hero was beaten at ParisLongchamp last weekend.

Newmarket hero Poetic Flare could bid to bounce back from defeat in France last weekend by doubling his Classic tally in the Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh on Saturday.

Jim Bolger’s colt followed in the hoofprints of his sire Dawn Approach to win a pulsating renewal of the 2000 Guineas over the Rowley Mile at the start of the month.

He was well fancied to follow up in Sunday’s French equivalent at ParisLongchamp – the Poule d’Essai des Poulains – but could only finish sixth behind Aidan O’Brien’s St Mark’s Basilica.

Poetic Flare could yet win another Guineas on home soil, however, while Bolger has also confirmed Mac Swiney for the Group One contest.

👏 Jim Bolger & @kmanning910 combined to land their second Qipco 2000 Guineas at @NewmarketRace on Saturday
🏆 2021 – Poetic Flare

🏆 2013 – Dawn Approach
The French or Irish 2000 Guineas now awaits Poetic Flare pic.twitter.com/MGCbkeKncC
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) May 4, 2021

Should Poetic Flare take his chance, he is likely to be reopposed by several who finished behind him at Newmarket.

Jessica Harrington could saddle Lucky Vega, who was beaten just half a length into third, while O’Brien has left in Van Gogh, Wembley and Battleground, who all finished down the field at Headquarters.

The Joseph O’Brien-trained Thunder Moon is another who could bid to bounce back from Newmarket disappointment.

Monaasib is an interesting contender for veteran trainer Kevin Prendergast, having finished third behind Poetic Flare in last month’s 2,000 Guineas Trial at Leopardstown and arrives here fresh.

The two potential British challengers in a field of 14 are Charlie Appleby’s La Barrosa and Hugo Palmer’s The Rosstafarian, who were last seen finishing second and fifth respectively in the Craven Stakes.

Glen Shiel (centre) winning on Qipco British Champions Day (Alan Crowhurst/PA)

Glen Shiel heads 15 sprinters in the mix for the Group Two Weatherbys Ireland Greenlands Stakes.

The Archie Watson-trained seven-year-old looks set to make his first competitive appearance since winning the Qipco British Champions Sprint at Ascot in October.

He is part of a strong British contingent that also includes Royal Commando (Charlie Hills), Summerghand (David O’Meara) and Last Empire (Kevin Ryan), while last year’s winner Speak In Colours (Joseph O’Brien) looks the pick of the home team.

Group Two honours are also up for grabs in the Lanwades Stud Stakes, with Johnny Murtagh’s Champers Elysees the highest-rated of eight four-year-old fillies confirmed.

The Group Three GAIN Marble Hill Stakes has attracted 14 speedy juveniles, including Aidan O’Brien’s pair of Cadamosto and The Entertainer and Masseto from Donnacha O’Brien’s yard.