The national economic mood might be fraught but there’s precious little evidence of it on show at the Curragh this weekend.
The return of Saturday’s Goffs Million for the first time in 13 years is anything but unlucky for connections of 19 runners that qualified by being catalogued at the select Orby sales ring in 2021.
Not only is there a mammoth million Euro to compete for but an extra €234,000 on top due to surplus entry fees as well as sponsorship and contributions from Horse Racing Ireland.
On Sunday, the Irish Cesarewitch, a race run for €80,000 last year, now has a massive €600,000 pot boosted by the self-titled Friends of the Curragh including former HRI chairman, Joe Keeling.
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Restricted to stayers officially rated 110 or less it has unsurprisingly attracted a maximum field of 30 - with a few reserves thrown in too – for a contest worth €100,000 more than the recent Irish Leger.
Any reputation for exclusivity the Curragh has is unlikely to be diminished by the selective element to the action. Extravagantly rich handicaps are hardly unusual but it’s hard not to think the Cesarewitch conditions might otherwise have attracted a similar field for a fraction of the money.
[ Colin Keane set to have enviable choice for Goffs MillionOpens in new window ]
Turning the ‘Million’ into the richest race of the year in Ireland – and the most lucrative two-year-old race in Europe – won’t prevent suspicions either about a similar quality of runner turning up for a five-figure Group 3.
There will be terrestrial TV coverage of Saturday’s leg of the Curragh’s Autumn Festival on TG4 which also features the final day of Listowel.
The Million’s first prize of €617,000 dwarfs what’s on offer for both Group 1 races at Newmarket on Saturday where Aidan O’Brien holds major chances including with Blackbeard in the Middle Park. However, he relies solely on Hiawatha in the Curragh feature.
Ordinarily, the brother to Luxembourg might have been expected to try and emulate his sibling by trying to land the earlier Group Alan Smurfit Beresford Stakes on the same card. It’s little surprise, though, how even the sport’s biggest operations are tempted to show up for the money.
Hiawatha scored at the third time of asking over a mile at the Curragh and a drop back to seven furlongs mightn’t prove as much of an issue as being drawn wide in 19.
The majority of the Million field is travelling from Britain with Group form represented by Oviedo and Wahaaj with Killybegs Warrior a contender too.
Best of the home defence may prove to be Hellsing who ultimately looks capable of stepping up on his 103 rating in open company.
Saturday’s traditional two-year-old highlight, the Beresford, has a roll of honour to compare with most juvenile contests in Europe, including stellar winners Sea The Stars and Nijinsky.
The 2021 winner Luxembourg has admirably continued that tradition and two of his stable companions will try to maintain Aidan O’Brien’s remarkable run of Beresford success. Successful in it 21 times in all, he chases a 12th victory in a row with both Adelaide River and Continuous.
The latter will be ridden by Derby winning jockey Emmet McNamara who won the Beresford for O’Brien on another second-string Port Douglas in 2015. Continuous dominated from the front on his course debut showing a good attitude while Adelaide Rover and Pivotal Tiger filled the frame at Longchamp last time.
The Cesarewitch towers over a pair of Group 3 prizes at HQ on Sunday.
All conquering across the codes at this week’s Listowel festival, Joseph O’Brien has almost a third of the big-race field. It is his father however who has the ante-post favourite in one-time classic hope Waterville lurking at the bottom of the handicap.
This one’s first attempt at two miles resulted in success at Limerick during the summer and the partnership of him and Wayne Lordan riding at 8.9 will be attractive to many.
Willie Mullins runs a handful including the Galway winner Echoes In Rain with whom Rachael Blackmore teams up. An aptly named alternative might well be another Mullins hope, Lot Of Joy.
She collected just €40,000 for winning the Swedish St Leger last year. On her Irish debut for Mullins, she ran on notably well up the hill at Galway behind Echoes In Rain and can reasonably be expected to progress from that.
Ryan Moore will be in action at the Curragh on Sunday but before that is on duty at Newmarket. Blackbeard is already a Group 1 winner in the Prix Morny and the quirky colt is among the favourites to pull off a double completed by Perfect Power a year ago.
Mediate is dropped by to six furlongs as O’Brien has a record fifth Cheveley Park success in his sights. The Moyglare runner-up is joined by Paddy Twomey’s Treasure Trove and Wave Machine from Johnny Murtagh’s yard.
