Emily Dickinson drops in trip seeking Curragh Cup glory

Ashley Iveson
July 21, 2023 2:19 pm

Gold Cup fourth a likely favourite in Group Two contest.

Emily Dickinson bids to get back on the winning trail in the Comer Group International Curragh Cup.

With her esteemed stablemate Kyprios sidelined by injury, the daughter of Dubawi moved to Gold Cup favouritism in the spring following an impressive return in the Vintage Crop Stakes at Navan.

Her Royal Ascot claims were severely dented as she disappointed in the Saval Beg at Leopardstown the following month, but the four-year-old nevertheless took her chance in the Gold Cup and emerged with credit after finishing fourth.

Emily Dickinson is a stayer on the up and makes a winning reappearance at @NavanRacecourse as the filly draws clear to land the Listed Vintage Crop Stakes for the Ryan Moore and Aidan O’Brien team 🏆 pic.twitter.com/yvjlhcfqAn
— Horse Racing Ireland (@HRIRacing) April 22, 2023

Emily Dickinson drops back in distance and class on the Irish Oaks undercard and will be a warm order to provide trainer Aidan O’Brien with an eighth Curragh Cup success.

O’Brien said: “It looks a strong race. I think she stayed in the Gold Cup, I don’t think the trip was a problem.

“She likes an ease in the ground so she’ll appreciate that. She’s had a bit of an easy time since Ascot because we didn’t think the ground was going to be as it is, but we are letting her take her chance, obviously.

“The Irish Leger is definitely in the back of our minds for her.”

Emily Dickinson’s rivals in the EURO 150,000 Group Two include her lightly-raced stablemate Gooloogong, the Paddy Twomey-trained Rosscarbery and Joseph O’Brien’s Duke of Edinburgh Stakes winner Okita Soushi.

Ryan Moore with Pearls And Rubies after winning at Navan (PA)

Aidan O’Brien also houses the hot favourite for the Group Three Jebel Ali Racecourse And Stables Anglesey Stakes in Royal Ascot runner-up Pearls And Rubies.

A winner on her Navan introduction in June, the No Nay Never filly was subsequently beaten a head by Snellen in the Listed Chesham Stakes.

O’Brien, who won the Anglesey Stakes for a 12th time with Little Big Bear last season, added: “She was just a little bit green at Ascot, she was only after having her first run not long before it.

“She probably found everything a little bit new and she just got left out a bit on her own on the wing, but she did run well.”

Michael O’Callaghan saddles Kairyu, who impressed on her debut at Naas three and a half weeks ago, while dual winner Buyin Buyin represents trainer Willie Browne.

🔵⚪️ Art Power’s record at the @curraghrace
🏇 Three runs🥇 Three wins🏆🏆 Renaissance Stakes🏆 Greenlands Stakes👀 He returns to the track for Saturday’s Barberstown Castle Sapphire Stakes for @EasterbyTim & @dallan555 pic.twitter.com/gfz03dWIFU
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 20, 2023

British raider Art Power bids for a fourth Curragh win in the Barberstown Castle Sapphire Stakes.

Tim Easterby’s six-year-old has landed the Group Three Renaissance Stakes in both 2021 and 2022 and maintained his unbeaten course record in the Group Two Greenlands Stakes in May.

He is four from four in Ireland overall, having also won the Group Three Lacken Stakes at Naas in 2020, and returns in fine form following a fourth-placed finish in last weekend’s July Cup.

Alastair Donald, racing manager for owners King Power Racing, said: “Ideally we probably wouldn’t run him back a week later, but his record in Ireland is so good and this looks the perfect race for him.

“He hasn’t run over five furlongs for a while, but it’s a stiff finish and soft ground and it’s not like he’s short of pace. He should have a favourite’s chance.”

Art Power is one of two British-trained runners in the five-furlong Group Two along with Karl Burke’s White Lavender, who was last seen striking gold in a Group Three in France.

The two leading hopes for the home team are Johnny Murtagh’s defending champion Ladies Church and French import Go Athletico, who bids to supplement a successful Irish debut for Ado McGuinness in the Listed Midsummer Sprint Stakes at Cork last month.

“He’s in great form and the ground will help. Unfortunately Ronan Whelan is suspended, but we’ve got a good deputy in Colin Keane,” said McGuinness.

“We’re very hopeful of a huge run. I know the Tim Easterby horse is back over, but he only ran last week in a Group One and our horse is fresh and well. We’re really looking forward to running him.

“I think our horse is even better than what he’s rated, hopefully he can prove it.”