The upcoming €500,000 Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas at Curragh on Saturday could pave the way for a significant achievement in horse racing as jockey Sean Levey joins forces with Rosallion. Levey famously made history in 2018 by becoming the first black jockey to clinch a classic in the UK, riding Billesdon Brook to an unprecedented 66-1 victory in the 1,000 Guineas. Now, he stands at shorter odds to achieve a similar victory in Ireland on board the local favourite.
Levey, just weeks removed from finishing second place behind Notable Speech at the English 2000 Guineas, is set to compete against seven others in the Curragh mile. Co-runners will include his stablemate, Haatem who came third at Newmarket, alongside three hopefuls from the stable of Aidan O’Brien.
In his career path, Levey moved from Swaziland (now known as Eswatini) when he was just 12 to join O’Brien, who mentored him in his teenage years. By 2011, after several racing milestones such as group victories and pacemaker roles in numerous top-tier races, Levey set course for a flourishing career in England.
In the mix of contenders, Levey stands out as he prepares to take on O’Brien, under whom his mother, Tini, and late father, Mick, had once worked. The 36-year-old, who aspires for a 13th success in the colt’s classic, seems on course to achieve this feat.
In a formidable career so far, Levey has secured six Group One victories including Billesdon Brook’s Guineas. Moreover, he has a couple of top-tier wins to his name in France. Despite finding success elusive in Ireland so far, Rosallion’s official 118 rating — 3lbs above Haatem — underscores his potential as a leading talent this Saturday.
The lackluster performance of City Of Troy at Newmarket has created a golden opportunity for Richard Hannon’s star, who has overcome pre-race doubts regarding race longevity but still fell short of Notable Speech. Given that up to 12mm of rain is expected at the Curragh shortly after the highlight of Saturday, ground conditions should ideally align with a horse that Levey will likely ride for speed as close to the wire as possible.
It is likely that Ryan Moore will adopt a similar strategy when he pilots the Ballydoyle’s leading horse, River Tiber. Following his impressive performance at last season’s Coventry Stakes, River Tiber seemed on the verge of a promising future, but his juvenile season ended on a somewhat disheartening note with consecutive finishes behind Vandeek. While O’Brien has previously stated concerns over River Tiber’s endurance, the horse’s first step up to a mile in the current season could fare well on faster grounds. Despite being younger, River Tiber had already earned a higher rating than Unquestionable, another horse from Ballydoyle who has secured a victory in the Breeders Cup, having demonstrated his adaptability to this distance.
Rosallion, on the other hand, might find his most significant obstacle could be his own teammate. In their last meeting on the Newmarket track, Haatem trailed him by nearly two lengths, but this time he will be ridden by Jamie Spencer who is hoping to remedy that. It is worth noting that Spencer had previously achieved victory at the Guineas in 2019 with Phoenix Of Spain, the sire of Haatem, at odds of 16-1.
“I am pleased with both of them following their performances at Newmarket, and I hope they have a good shot at The Curragh based on those runs”, stated Hannon. He plans to follow his father’s footsteps, who had won the race three times. Hannon’s only concern is that the horses experience a smooth journey and have everything in their favour.
In the Group Two Weatherbys Greenlands Stakes coming up on Saturday, Levey and Hannon will also collaborate with Shouldhavebeenaring. The race will feature many acclaimed Group One winners, including local favourite Moss Tucker and frequent victor Art Power, known widely for his striking grey colour. Shouldhavebeenaring narrowly missed out on securing top spot in last season’s Sprint Cup at Haydock, beaten by the rising star, the Regional.
Saturday’s other spotlight is the Marble Hill for the two-year-old. Camille Pissaro, who won at Navan last month, is the front-runner in this race. His teammate, Henri Matisse, has an accomplished family, with relatives like Tenebrism and Statuette, and should not be overlooked either. Similarly, eyes will also be on the high-cost acquisition, Red Evolution.
News just in, the appeal lodged by Luker Comer against a three-year suspension of his license, handed down by the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB), concluded on Friday. This comes after twelve of his racehorses produced positive results for performance-enhancing drugs. A trio of appeal panel members, lead by Justice Peter Kelly, listened attentively to three days-worth of evidence.
According to an IHRB spokesperson, “Following the hearing’s conclusion last Friday, the panel has taken a recess to ponder upon the arguments presented by lawyers from both parties. Their verdict will be announced in due course.”
The IHRB expressed its disgruntlement over the perceived “unfair leniency” of punishments given to Comer by the body’s referrals committee last September. In addition to his suspension, the prosperous entrepreneur was slapped with a fine exceeding €85,000 and was instructed to cover the IHRB’s legal expenses to the tune of €775,000.
The date at which we can expect a final ruling is still yet to be confirmed.