Group One Irish 1000 Guineas Curragh Guide 2023

Joe Glayshier | @joeglayshier

Curragh - May 27 2023
Curragh 14:50
7(2)
Ryan Moore

Meditate

J: Ryan Moore
T: A P O'Brien
N/A
Age: 3
Weight: 9-2
OR: 113
Days: 21

Aiden O’Brien sends three runners to the Irish 1000 Guineas at Curragh on Sunday with Dower House, Jackie Oh and Meditate. The latter is the most fancied of the O’Brien trio, with several wins under her belt in 2022 at the likes of Royal Ascot (Group Three Albany Stakes), here (Group Two Debutante Stakes) and at Keeneland (Grade One Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf) but was a below-par sixth in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket earlier this month.

Has a bit to find now coming up against Tahiyra again and while a better run is expected, it may not be enough to beat the 4/9 favourite who looks strong. Ryan Moore will do the steering.

Curragh - May 27 2023
Curragh 14:50
2(6)
Jason Hart

Breege

J: Jason Hart
T: John Quinn
N/A
Age: 3
Weight: 9-2
OR: 100
Days: 238

John Quinn has one runner in this race at Curragh on Sunday with his filly Breege. The three-year-old returns after 238 days off the track following a fifth-place finish in the Group One Prix Marcel Boussac at ParisLongchamp in October, where she was not disgraced. She also boasts finishes of third at Ascot (Group Three Keeneland Stakes) and second at Goodwood (Group Three Prestige Fillies’ Stakes) but must now find more.

No reason why she can’t run a good race but a good race for her may not be anywhere near enough to challenge the market leaders here.

Curragh - May 27 2023
Curragh 14:50
3(3)
Rory Cleary

Comhra

J: Rory Cleary
T: J S Bolger
N/A
Age: 3
Weight: 9-2
OR: 95
Days: 21

Jim Bolger has one in the Irish 1000 Guineas at Curragh on Sunday with his filly Comhra. The three-year-old 95-rated runner has won once in her career at Roscommon, in a 15-runner 7f maiden but has since been outside of the places on all but one occasion, finishing second in Group Three Fillies Sprint at Naas in May last year, won by Meditate. Decent fifth last time out in the Group Three Cornelscourt Stakes but this is much harder.

This group one contest may be out of her depth and the market outsider looks unlikely to spring a shock here.

Curragh - May 27 2023
Curragh 14:50
1(10)
Mark Enright

Aspen Grove

J: Mark Enright
T: J A Stack
N/A
Age: 3
Weight: 9-2
OR: 100
Days: 21

James Stack sends two runners to the Irish 1000 Guineas at Curragh on Sunday with You Send Me and Aspen Grove. The latter arrives here having had one run in 2023, finishing third in Group Three Cornelscourt Stakes at Leopardstown earlier this month. Career-best run back in August last year when winning Group Three Stud Irish EBF Stakes here when priced at 66/1 but looks unlikely to replicate that sort of upset in this.

The three-year-old looks vulnerable at this level and would be a very surprising winner.

Curragh - May 27 2023
Curragh 14:50
4(7)
Wayne Lordan

Dower House

J: Wayne Lordan
T: A P O'Brien
N/A
Age: 3
Weight: 9-2
OR: 96
Days: 25

Aiden O’Brien sends three runners to this Curragh race with second favourite Meditate, Jackie Oh and Dower House. The latter arrives here on the back of a couple of runs in 2023, finishing sixth at Leopardstown (Group Three 1000 Guineas Trial) and third in Listed Victor McCalmont Memorial Stakes at Gowran Park earlier this month. Hasn’t won since winning Naas maiden last August and is the least fancied of the O’Brien trio.

Tough test for her in group one company and one to probably look past. Wayne Lordan is booked to ride.

Curragh - May 27 2023
Curragh 14:50
5(8)
Shane Foley

Eternal Silence

J: Shane Foley
T: Mrs John Harrington
N/A
Age: 3
Weight: 9-2
OR: 102
Days: 259

Mrs John Harrington sends one runner to the Irish 1000 Guineas at Curragh with Eternal Silence. The three-year-old has only raced three times in her career, recording finishes of ninthin her maiden start, third in Group Three Stud Irish EBF Stakes (Aspen Grove in first) and third in the Group One Moyglare Stud Stakes (Tahiyra in first), all here at Curragh. Despite going well last time out, she is up against it here.

Not completely out of the picture after her last two positive outings but would be an unlikely winner of this.

Curragh - May 27 2023
Curragh 14:50
8(1)
Chris Hayes

Tahiyra

J: Chris Hayes
T: D K Weld
N/A
Age: 3
Weight: 9-2
OR: 118
Days: 21

Dermot Weld sends a couple of runners to the Irish 1000 Guineas with three-year-old’s Tarawa and Tahiyra. The latter arrives in top form and is the 4/9fav after finishing a narrow second to Mawj in the British 1000 Guineas at Newmarket earlier this month when priced at 6/4 favourite. She also boasts group one glory here previously in the Group One Moyglare Stud Stakes (ahead of Meditate) and an easy win on debut at Galway.

She has much more to improve on after having just three runs and will be very hard to beat in this if continuing the upward curve she has been on since her debut. Chris Hayes is booked to ride.

Curragh - May 27 2023
Curragh 14:50
9(5)
W J Lee

Tarawa

J: W J Lee
T: D K Weld
N/A
Age: 3
Weight: 9-2
OR: 102
Days: 21

Dermot Weld boasts two runners in the Irish 1000 Guineas with market favourite Tahiyra and Tarawa. The latter has had three career runs so far, finishing fifth on debut at Cork before winning at Leopardstown and following that up with a second-place finish to Zarinsk in the Group Three Cornelscourt Stakes at the same course earlier this month.

While she is open to more improvement, she has less experience at this sort of level compared to a few others and is second-string to Tahiyra for Weld here. Can still make her presence felt.

Curragh - May 27 2023
Curragh 14:50
10(9)
Colin Keane

You Send Me

J: Colin Keane
T: J A Stack
N/A
Age: 3
Weight: 9-2
OR: 102
Days: 21

James Stack sends a couple of horses to the Irish 1000 Guineas at Curragh on Sunday with Aspen Grove and You Send Me. The latter has had three career runs so far, finishing fifth here on debut before winning 12-runner Cork maiden in April. Most recently a decent second in the Group Three Amethyst Stakes at Leopardstown earlier this month but needs to lift it again here.

The three-year-old can improve further but this will be tough with little experience in grouped company. Colin Keane is asked to do the steering.

Curragh - May 27 2023
Curragh 14:50
6(4)
Seamie Heffernan

Jackie Oh

J: Seamie Heffernan
T: A P O'Brien
N/A
Age: 3
Weight: 9-2
OR: 102
Days: 36

Aiden O’Brien sends three to this Curragh event with Dower House, second favourite Meditate and Jackie Oh. The latter has only had two career runs so far, winning at Naas on debut in a ten-runner 1m maiden by half-a-length to 4/6fav and stablemate Red Riding Hood. She followed that up with a second-place finish in the Listed Salsabil Stakes at Navan last month before heading here for her first taste of grouped company.

She’s open to improving more but has no experience at all of this level and it remains to be seen how she will cope with that. Not completely dismissed.