This Sunday, celebrated Irish horse trainer Jessica Harrington is set to challenge Germany’s finest, as she enters her horse Trevaunance in the preference for the coveted Group One European prize. Despite previous notable occurrences including the Irish Champions Festival, this weekend the spotlight solely shines on the Preis Von Europa in Cologne.
For over six decades, no Irish-trained horse has clinched victory in the €155,000 mile-and-a-half race. However, Harrington’s Trevaunance nearly broke this streak last year as runner-up to Indian horse India. Harrington has teamed up once more with jockey Shane Foley to further the mare’s globe-trotting racing career with the race slated to begin at 1.00pm Irish time.
Recent news from Horse Racing Ireland reveals a contingency plan for 2025 fixtures if Tipperary was to be transformed into an all-weather circuit. Indeed, Harrington and Trevaunance are seeking their mark in German Group One. The Irish Champions Festival witnessed average public turnout, with horse riding star Ryan Moore hoping for a streak of luck at Punchestown on Tuesday.
Godolphin’s 2022 victor Rebel’s Romance returns to the race, guided by jockey William Buick, and will compete with this year’s champions of the German Derby and Oaks, Palladium and Erle. Notably, Trevaunance has been out of the winner’s circle for over two years but has shown a resurgence in form, having been the runner-up to Aventure at Deauville.
Additionally, Joseph O’Brien-trained Al Riffa scored big in Germany this past month, winning the Grosser Preis Von Berlin. There’s more international interest from Ireland as O’Brien’s Dignam, a winner in Tipperary, will take part in the nine-furlong Group Three Prix De Conde at Chantilly, France, with jockey Mickael Barzalona expected to ride the colt.
Back in Ireland, crowd favourite event, 166th Listowel Harvest Festival kicks off on Sunday. Over the course of the six-day festival, approximately 90,000 attendees are predicted. The Week’s main event, the Guinness Kerry National, will take place on Wednesday, while celebrated jockey Ryan Moore’s anticipated debut on the Listowel Racecourse, for Aidan O’Brien occurs the preceding Tuesday.
Last year, the north Kerry racecourse welcomed local jockey Oisín Murphy for the first time, after original plans for Frankie Dettori to participate fell through due to an apparent appearance fee dispute. Among the 31 competitors remaining in the Kerry National is last year’s victor, Desertmore House, with top-tier Fakir D’ooudairies listed as topweight.
Training bidding for another shot at the title is Patrick Neville of Limerick, with the Real Whacker, a 2023 Cheltenham festival Grade One winner, still in contention. Anticipated top runners include Zanahiyr, trained by double-winner of the race Gordon Elliott who could enter up to six contenders, including Chemical Energy and Duffle Coat – all of whom performed significantly well in the Galway Plate.
Elliott voiced his excitement for the upcoming race, hinting that The Goffer, who appreciates good quality ground and will be running fresh, might give a robust performance.
Listowel’s race week will be televised on terrestrial TV starting Monday thanks to TG4, providing coverage for all six remaining days. The festival kicks off with a hurdle race for three-year-olds on Sunday where Elliott is set to debut Zanahiyr’s half-sister, Zaynab. Proven in two races at the Curragh this year and noteworthy at Royal Ascot, Zaynab will have Sam Ewing on board as jockey, stacking up against the top weight, Teriferma.
Top trainer Henry De Bromhead is expected to start the week with multiple jump starters in Listowel, but prior to that, he has his sights set on securing a valued Group Three on the flat in Ayr.
Jim Crowley, ex-British champion jockey, will be partnering with Navan maiden victory holder, Town And Country, in the Firth Of Clyde stakes covering six furlongs. Another Irish two-year filly in the race is Grande Marques, trained by Fozzy Stacks, won at Navan on her last run, Danny Tudhope is her jockey. Last year’s winner of this race was Johnny Murtagh’s Prime Art.
The highlight of Saturday’s races in Ireland is the Denny Cordell/Lanwades Studs Stakes in Gowran, where Joseph O’Brien accounts for half of the field made up of a dozen competitors.
Dylan Browne McMonagle has chosen Uluru for an unpredictable race involving One Look, the victor at Killarney, and Dermot Weld’s Azada. However, it’s unlikely that any competition this weekend will match “Curio” Stakes’ level where the Derby champion, City Of Troy, made quite an impression on Friday’s gallop at Southwell’s all-weather track. After surpassing four lesser counterparts from his stable during a mile workout and getting encouragement from Ryan Moore up until the finish line, this young horse, celebrated by Aidan O’Brien as the best he’s tutored, continues to be a usual 5/2 favourite contender for Del Mar’s November Breeders’ Cup Classic on soil. All five contestants initiated from American-style departure gates as O’Brien utilised the Tapeta landscape in preparation to help his tuft adapt to the soil challenge presented by the Breeders’ Cup. “He’s accomplished what he was supposed to, and we’re about six weeks away from Del Mar,” reported Moore. He further remarked, “He’s an extraordinary horse and he proved his mettle at York. If he can replicate that level of skill on soil, we can expect him to be amongst the contenders.”