Group One Gold Cup Curragh Guide 2023

Noel Meade boasts one runner in the Gold Cup at Curragh on Sunday with Layfayette. The six-year-old arrives here on the back of three decent runs this year, finishing third in Group Three Alleged Stakes here, second in the Group Two Mooresbridge Stakes here and third in the Group Two Huxley Stakes at Chester earlier this month. He won a couple of times here last term in the two races he placed in here this year.

Layfayette obviously has more to find now in group one company amongst some strong market leaders but has run well here before so should not be taken lightly.

Sir Michael Stoute has one in the Gold Cup at Curragh with the top-class Bay Bridge. The horse has run once in 2023, finishing third in the Group One Prix Ganay at ParisLongchamp last month, just ahead of slight market favourite here Vadeni. The five-year-old had a good year last term, winning at Newmarket (listed), Sandown (Group Three Brigadier Gerard Stakes) and career-best at Ascot in the Group One Champion Stakes, ahead of the likes of Adayar, My Prospero and Baaeed.

Major player in this if returning to the UK in the same form and looks set for a big bid for more group one success. Richard Kingscote is booked to ride.

Aiden O’Brien has one in this contest at Curragh on Sunday with his colt Luxembourg. The four-year-old makes his second start of 2023 after disappointing performance as 10/11fav in the Group Two Mooresbridge Stakes here earlier this month, finishing fifth. He finished 2022 with a seventh-place finish at ParisLongchamp but finished third in last year’s 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, won the Group Three Royal Whip Stakes here and won the Group One Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown so clearly has the ability.

Some cracking horses in this race and Luxembourg deserves to be a part of that, would be surprising if he wasn’t in with a shout for victory.

Mrs John Harrington sends one to this contest at Curragh on Sunday with Trevaunance. The four-year-old won a few times in 2022, winning minor Limerick event and two grouped races at Deauville over 1m 1f (G2 & G3). Ended the year with an eighth-place finish in the Group One Prix de l’Opera Longines at ParisLongchamp in October before finishing sixth in the Group Two Mooresbridge Stakes here earlier this month behind a few rivals here.

This filly has more to find now back in group one company and looks slightly up against it. Big 80/1 price too, Shane Foley is booked to ride.

Donnacha O’Brien has one runner in this year’s Gold Cup at Curragh with Piz Badile. The four-year-old arrives here on the back of a third-place finish here in the Group Two Mooresbridge Stakes earlier this month, ahead of Luxembourg and behind Layfayette. He won the Group Three Ballysax Stakes last year at Leopardstown and managed a runner-up finish in the Irish Derby here when priced at 18/1, so he’s not completely out of the picture.

Obviously has more to find again if he is to challenge the market leaders but he has done well here before, so there is no reason why he can’t go well again.

Jean-Claude Rouget sends his four-year-old Vadeni to the Gold Cup at Curragh on Sunday, with the colt making his second appearance in 2023 after finishing fourth in the Group One Prix Ganay at ParisLongchamp last month. He enjoyed a stellar 2022, winning twice at Chantilly and the Group One Coral-Eclipse at Sandown as well as placing in the Group One Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown and in the Group One Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at ParisLongcham, a half-length to Alpinista.

If he is to continue last season’s form, he is well in with a shout of victory in this race. Should be there at the end in the hands of Christophe Soumillon.