15:25
Coolmore Stud City Of Troy Tom Cooper Irish EBF Futurity Stakes (Group 2)
Group 2, Class 1, 7f, Flat, 2yo, €78,000, 6 runners
Winning time 1m 24.44s
- Going
- Good
- Surface
- Turf
Tip for this race
All today's tips ›Nola Soul No. 6, stall 5
Seamie Heffernan · J A Stack
✓ Top rated ✓ Distance winner ✓ Won last time out
Nola Soul heads this six-runner field at the Curragh on a rating narrowly ahead of Florida Bay, and his profile over seven furlongs on good ground gives reasonable grounds for optimism, though the closeness of the figures means Florida Bay represents a genuine threat and Giant Sequoia, rated a few pounds back, cannot be dismissed if the selection fails to reproduce his best. City of Dubai is the other danger to factor in, though the rating gap to the principals looks difficult to bridge. On balance the case rests on Nola Soul translating that slim rating advantage into a win, and he is our selection.
Result
Wayne Lordan
A P O'Brien
Sat just behind the front group early - third at halfway - nudged into second by the rail with 2f left - closed in with a furlong to run - locked together inside the final 100 yards - edged ahead 50 yards out and stayed on strongly to prevail
Ronan Whelan
A P O'Brien
Set the pace early - asked for effort with 2f left - challenged inside final furlong - overtaken in the last strides - battled back but denied by a short margin
Declan McDonogh
Joseph Patrick O'Brien
Slow to break and towards back - pushed along 2f out - finished strongly to take 3rd late on
Seamie Heffernan
J A Stack
Sat close behind the pacesetter early - pulling hard through midrace - into the last quarter mile sat third and asked for effort - unable to close the gap and held on for fourth without further progress
W J Lee
P Twomey
Settled off the leaders - still 5th at halfway - pushed along under pressure with no advance 2f out - stayed on same gear to finish 5th
No. 5, stall 3
2yo, 9-5, OR –
J: Dylan Browne McMonagle · T: Joseph Patrick O'Brien
Dylan Browne McMonagle
Joseph Patrick O'Brien
Settled off the front pack early travelling keenly - 4th at halfway - pushed along but making no headway 2f out - unable to find more inside final furlong finishing sixth
Racecard
W J Lee
P Twomey 0/13
Beaten only a neck on his latest start, with a win the run before that, City of Dubai arrives in cracking recent form and has experience of today's trip and conditions; the concern is whether 131 lb from stall 6 blunts his finishing effort.
- Sire
- Mehmas (IRE)
- Dam
- Angels Story (IRE) by Galileo
- Owner
- Bond Thoroughbred Limited
- Foaled
- 11 Apr 2024
- Stable
- Cashel, Co Tipperary
- Trainer last 14 days
- 0 wins from 13 runs (0%)
- Trainer running to form
- 63%
- Ratings
- Perf 77
Ronan Whelan
A P O'Brien 9/49
Florida Bay arrives on the back of a win last time out and a winner three starts back, showing a knack for getting his head in front, and he has run over today's trip and going before; the main risk is that our rating of 90 leaves him something to find with the top-rated runner.
- Sire
- Mehmas (IRE)
- Dam
- Ripponette (FR) by Le Havre
- Owner
- Magniertaborsmithwesterbergbrant
- Foaled
- 17 Mar 2024
- Stable
- Cashel, Co Tipperary
- Trainer last 14 days
- 9 wins from 49 runs (18%)
- Trainer running to form
- 64%
- Ratings
- Perf 90, Speed 83
Wayne Lordan
A P O'Brien 9/49
Giant Sequoia won last time out and has run over today's trip and going, giving him solid claims on conditions; the main risk is a 56-day absence since that victory, and 131 lb from stall one will demand a forward showing.
- Sire
- Frankel (GB)
- Dam
- Pink Dogwood (IRE) by Camelot
- Owner
- Resolute Racing Coolmore Westerberg
- Foaled
- 1 Jan 2024
- Stable
- Cashel, Co Tipperary
- Trainer last 14 days
- 9 wins from 49 runs (18%)
- Trainer running to form
- 64%
- Ratings
- Perf 84
Declan McDonogh
Joseph Patrick O'Brien 11/66
Green Dreamer won last time out but ranks fifth of six on our figures, with a speed rating of 54 doing little to inspire confidence; he has run over today's trip and going before, and 30 days between runs leaves fitness mildly in question.
- Sire
- Churchill (IRE)
- Dam
- Power's Dream (IRE) by Power
- Owner
- Simon Munir Isaac Souede
- Foaled
- 25 Mar 2024
- Stable
- Owning Hill, Co Kilkenny
- Trainer last 14 days
- 11 wins from 66 runs (17%)
- Trainer running to form
- 62%
- Ratings
- Perf 70
Dylan Browne McMonagle
Joseph Patrick O'Brien 11/66
Ranked bottom of the field on our figures, Nail House faces a stiff ask against stronger company, though he does arrive on the back of a win two starts back and a third last time out, with experience over today's trip and going at least offering some grounding.
- Sire
- No Nay Never (USA)
- Dam
- J'Ouvert (IRE) by Dawn Approach
- Owner
- Tropical Racing
- Foaled
- 1 Jan 2024
- Stable
- Owning Hill, Co Kilkenny
- Trainer last 14 days
- 11 wins from 66 runs (17%)
- Trainer running to form
- 62%
- Ratings
- Perf 68
Seamie Heffernan
J A Stack 0/9
Back-to-back wins make Nola Soul the one to beat here, and he has experience of today's trip and conditions to call upon; the 65-day absence is the only query, though he tops our ratings on the form provided.
- Sire
- Justify (USA)
- Dam
- Sing Me Home (GB) by Muhaarar
- Owner
- Craig Bernick
- Foaled
- 15 Feb 2024
- Stable
- Golden, Co. Tipperary
- Trainer last 14 days
- 0 wins from 9 runs (0%)
- Trainer running to form
- 47%
- Ratings
- Perf 91
Draw in brackets. Headgear: b blinkers, v visor, h hood, t tongue strap, p cheekpieces, e/s eye shield; ¹ first time. C course winner, D distance winner, CD course and distance winner. Form reads oldest to newest.