Good Heavens open to more improvement in Irish Cambridgeshire

Valuable prize up for grabs at the Curragh.

Runaway Cork winner Good Heavens represents the formidable combination of trainer Joseph O’Brien and owner JP McManus in Saturday’s Paddy Power Supporting Cancer Trials Ireland Irish Cambridgeshire.

Impressive when shedding his maiden tag at Leopardstown in the autumn, the three-year-old was gelded during the off-season and returned with successive placed efforts at Roscommon and Killarney.

The son of Zoffany was odds-on to get back on the winning trail at Cork last month and did so in some style, a victory which earned him a mark of 98 ahead of this weekend’s EURO 100,000 feature at the Curragh.

The owner’s racing manager, Frank Berry, said: “Joseph is very happy with him and I think he’ll handle the ground OK. It’s a very competitive race, but we’re hoping for a good run.

“He’s a homebred and this looks a lovely race for him. Hopefully he’ll give a good account of himself.

“The race in Cork was made for him. He had plenty in hand on ratings and he got up a few pounds for him, but he’s in good form and fingers crossed he’ll go well.”

Joe Murphy views ground conditions as key to the chance of his runner Celtic Crown.

The five-year-old has not been seen in competitive action since landing the similarly valuable Emerald Mile at the Curragh in May, but is reported to be in good shape.

“We’re expecting her to run a big race, but we would prefer more ease in the ground – that’s our biggest worry,” said Murphy.

Celtic Crown (yellow) winning at the Curragh
Celtic Crown (yellow) winning at the Curragh (Lorraine O’Sullivan/PA)

“We’re happy enough with the filly and the reason she hasn’t run since May is because of the ground. If the ground is more on the firm side of good, we’d question whether we’ll run her or not, but I’m sure they’re watering so we’ll see how it is on the day.

“We’re very happy with her and if we run her, we’d be hopeful she’ll run very well.”

Jessica Harrington has a strong hand with Cowboy Justice, Jungle Cove and That’s Just Dandy all declared, while Ger Lyons saddles Janoobi and Hale Bopp.

Other contenders include the Jack Davison-trained Massaman and Star Harbour, who is one of six runners for Ado McGuinness, and the Mick Mulvany-trained pair of Comfort Line and Big Baby Bull.

Comfort Line is back in action quickly, having scored at Navan on Thursday.

His trainer said: “He has a good draw (stall two) and we are hoping he’ll jump out.

“In an ideal world I’d like some rain, but you just have to work with what you have.

“Big Baby Bull also runs, but he has a bad draw (stall 25). I’d be hopeful of a big run from him as well and he was a bit unlucky in Galway.”

The Irish Cambridgeshire is supported by three Group Three contests, the first being the Newtownanner Stud Irish EBF Stakes.

The one-mile contest stages a clash between Paddy Twomey’s course winner Shelton and Caroline Street, who looked the part on her debut at Leopardstown for the aforementioned O’Brien, who said: “Caroline Street won her maiden well and she obviously steps up in class.

“But she’s a filly that we really like and we are looking forward to seeing how she goes up in class.”

Johnny Murtagh’s course and distance scorer Daamberdiplomat, Aidan O’Brien’s recent Naas victor Dower House and Twomey’s Treasure Trove feature in the Heider Family Stables Round Tower Stakes.

Group Three honours are also up for grabs in the Snow Fairy Fillies Stakes, in which Joseph O’Brien’s Kilboy Estate Stakes runner-up Seisai sets the standard.

“Seisai has been a very consistent, admirable performer who keeps doing it on track,” the trainer added.

“She ran well round the Curragh last time and we’re hoping for another good performance from her.”

The biggest threat to Seisai appears to be the Lyons-trained Juncture, who was last seen giving Boundless Ocean a good run for his money in Leopardstown’s Desmond Stakes.

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