Group Two Kilboy Estate Stakes Guide 2022

Andy Smith | @AndySmithRacing

Curragh - July 16 2022
Curragh 14:55
1(4)
Colin Keane

Potapova

J: Colin Keane
T: Sir Michael Stoute
N/A
Age: 4
Weight: 9-11
OR: 103
Days: 23

Sir Michael Stoute send his 4 year old Potapova here. After a lightening debut, Potapova scored her novice win as a 3 year old with bundles in hand and defied her penalty in a novice race in impressive style.

Well beaten in group company 1 last year, she dropped to group 3 level off the back of that but still found herself wanting for quality to get competitive. She’s been running well this season but has still been failing to notch a win.

Returning at listed level over a mile she just failed to get her head in front before going down to owner-mate Bashkirova at Epsom in a group 3 over 8.5 furlongs at the Derby meeting.

With that impressive outing in the books, she was sent off favourite for a group 3 at Newcastle over 10 furlongs last time out but looked like she failed to stay the further trip and wilted back into 7th.

This slight drop in trip should suit and judging by her run behind Bashkirova she looks to have a great chance.

DateCourseDistanceTypeWeightPosition
20/08/22SAN8Gd9-61
17/07/22CUR9Gd9-117
24/06/22NCS10St/Slw9-77
04/06/22EPS8.5Gd9-82
18/04/22KEM8St/Slw9-02
Curragh - July 16 2022
Curragh 14:55
7(9)
Shane Crosse

Seisai

J: Shane Crosse
T: Joseph Patrick O'Brien
N/A
Age: 3
Weight: 9-2
OR: 100
Days: 25

Representing the double green of Souede and Muir, Sesai broke her maiden at the second time of asking last season to win in decent fashion. However, when upped in grade off the back of that she looked to be wanting for quality in group 3 company when only managing to come 3rd behind Agartha.

She did manage to score a listed win after that over 7 furlongs but looked outclassed again when sent to group level off the back of that. Despite being pitched in against her own sex she looked to be lacking the cutting edge in higher grades.

She’s failed to fire this season. Being tried at listed and group company so far this campaign, she’s failed to really mark her mark despite being tried over different trips. Seven furlongs looked too sharp on her return and she was well beaten over 9.5 furlongs by Rumbles Of Thunder in a listed race. She just looks below the quality needed to win this kind of race.

DateCourseDistanceTypeWeightPosition
11/09/22CUR10Y9-29
27/08/22CUR9Gd9-05
17/07/22CUR9Gd9-22
22/06/22NAA10Gd9-53
20/05/22CUR10Gd/Y9-24
Curragh - July 16 2022
Curragh 14:55
4(8)
Wayne Lordan

Galleria Borghese

J: Wayne Lordan
T: A P O'Brien
N/A
Age: 3
Weight: 9-2
OR: 98
Days: 25

The second string for Aidan O’Brien here, this daughter of Caravaggio only made her debut back on April over this year and was well beaten over 7 furlongs.

Upped to 9.5 furlongs off the back of that she was well beaten again, but she scored at the third time of asking to win over a mile smartly in May at Naas.

Win her maiden win in the books she moved to handicap company but just failed to win off a mark of 85. Held again in a conditions race on her next start, she was last seen getting her head back in front in a listed contest over 10 furlongs last month winning nicely.

She shaped like 10 furlongs was her minimum trip last time out and just did enough late on to hold on to victory at Naas. Coming back in trip isn’t an obvious move and moving up in grade will require more of her.

DateCourseDistanceTypeWeightPosition
11/11/22TLS10.5Gd8-94
22/10/22SAI10.5Hy8-94
17/09/22GOW9.5Y/Sft9-214
11/09/22CUR10Y9-23
26/08/22TIP7.5Gd9-25
Curragh - July 16 2022
Curragh 14:55
9(7)
Seamie Heffernan

The Algarve

J: Seamie Heffernan
T: A P O'Brien
N/A
Age: 3
Weight: 9-2
OR: 92
Days: 19

The third string for Aidan O’Brien, The Algarve took three attempts to break her maiden last year but looked smart enough when the penny finally dropped to the job in hand on her last start.

This season she’s found herself sent for a much higher grade of races and has been struggling to make her presence felt. Well beaten in the Musidora Stakes on return, a poor showing in the Oaks at Epsom followed.

Dropped to listed level for her most recent outings, she again has looked well outclassed against better competition. She’s likely to find this race too hot to get seriously involved too.

DateCourseDistanceTypeWeightPosition
17/07/22CUR9Gd9-29
28/06/22ROS12Sft/Hy8-76
22/06/22NAA10Gd9-27
03/06/22EPS12Gd9-210
11/05/22YOR10.5Gd9-24
Curragh - July 16 2022
Curragh 14:55
3(1)
Tom Marquand

Purplepay

J: Tom Marquand
T: William Haggas
N/A
Age: 3
Weight: 9-5
OR: 110
Days: 21

After starting life racing as a 2 year old over In France for Cedric Rossi, Purplepay enjoyed some success as a juvenile and won 3 times last year.

Scoring some low level conditions races before being sent for a group 1 at the end of the season, he shaped well enough at the top table to be a decent 3rd behind Angel Bleu.

Moving to the care of William Haggas for this season, Purplepay struggled in group 1 company on her return in the Irish 1000 Guineas but gained compensation when scoring over at Chantilly over a mile smartly to pick up a group 2 win.

Last seen in the Pretty Polly Stakes, 10 furlongs at group 1 level looked to tax her too much and she wilted back into 5th place. Dropping back in trip and grade should suit her more.

DateCourseDistanceTypeWeightPosition
11/03/23RSH7.5Gd8-612
07/10/22NMK7Gd9-36
17/07/22CUR9Gd9-55
26/06/22CUR10Y/Sft9-05
05/06/22CHA8Sft9-01
Curragh - July 16 2022
Curragh 14:55
2(5)
W J Lee

Rumbles Of Thunder

J: W J Lee
T: P Twomey
N/A
Age: 4
Weight: 9-11
OR: 102
Days: 22

After starting her career over in France as a 3 year old last season, Rumbles Of Thunder posted some smart performances south of the Channel.

Winning a listed race over 11 furlongs smartly, she then managed to win another black type event when winning over 12 furlongs on soft ground smartly. Moved up to group company off the back of that she looked to be out of her depth in a higher grade and only managed to beat a few rivals home in her two attempts in a higher grade.

She’s since moved to Ireland and despite being beaten in listed company on return, she shaped much better with a run under her belt and scored with dunes in hand over 9.5 furlongs at Gowran Park back in May.

Last seen in group 3 company, she again looked out of her depth. Despite looking like a smart performer, group company has looked to tax her abilities too much so far.

DateCourseDistanceTypeWeightPosition
12/08/22COR12Gd9-91
17/07/22CUR9Gd9-114
25/06/22CUR10Gd9-63
04/05/22GOW9.5Y9-121
16/04/22COR12Y/Sft9-54
Curragh - July 16 2022
Curragh 14:55
8(3)
Shane Foley

Sierra Nevada

J: Shane Foley
T: Mrs John Harrington
N/A
Age: 3
Weight: 9-2
OR: 91
Days: 35

Jessica Harrington saddles her America Pharaoh filly Sierra Nevada here off the back of a maiden win last time out.

The filly only made her debut late in October of last year and looked to need her first career outing badly to shake away any signs of greenness. She shaped better on her first run as a 3 year old this season over a mile but looked as though a longer trip would bring out the best in here.

Another try at a mile saw her well beaten in maiden company behind Galleria Borghese but she did shape with real promise last time out to notch her first win to take a maiden by an impressive 6 lengths.

She looks like a longer trip will suit her more but the way she won last time out hints that she is worth her place at this level. However a rating of 91 gives her plenty to find with these rivals.

DateCourseDistanceTypeWeightPosition
21/08/22NAA10Gd9-41
17/07/22CUR9Gd9-28
12/06/22GOW9.5Gd9-31
15/05/22NAA8Gd9-34
06/04/22LEO8Gd9-33
Curragh - July 16 2022
Curragh 14:55
5(2)
Ryan Moore

Lily Pond

J: Ryan Moore
T: A P O'Brien
N/A
Age: 3
Weight: 9-2
OR: 102
Days: 10

Debuting on the all-weather at Dundalk back in April, Lily Pond made an impressive debut to racing and scored smartly over 10.5 furlongs to open her account.

Moved into group company off the back of her debut success she shaped well enough to be 2nd behind Tranquil Lady but found herself well beaten behind that rival. Taken up in trip after that, she ran well over a mile and a half at Cork in the Munster Oaks before succumbing to older rivals in the closing stages.

Last seen moved up in trip again to 14 furlongs, she weakened out of proceedings in the late stages, not looking to have the stamina for the longer trip. She’s looked her best over 12 furlongs this season, coming back this far in trip doesn’t look an obvious move but Ryan Moore picks her over stablemate Galleria Borghese.

DateCourseDistanceTypeWeightPosition
17/07/22CUR9Gd9-21
07/07/22LEO14Gd8-96
08/06/22COR12Gd8-93
07/05/22NAA10Y/Sft9-22
12/04/22DUN10.5St9-31
Curragh - July 16 2022
Curragh 14:55
6(6)
Ben Coen

One For Bobby

J: Ben Coen
T: J P Murtagh
N/A
Age: 3
Weight: 9-2
OR: 99
Days: 25

An impressive start to life racing for Johnny Murtagh’s filly saw her score her maiden at large odds with plenty of hand back in May at Gowran Park.

Kept at the same venue for her next outing, she again scored easily in a conditions race over 9.5 furlongs smartly to justify favouritism. Powering clear in the later stages like a good horse.

However, upped in grade off the back of that to listed level, she looked well outclassed in a higher grade and looks well up against it here in a higher grade.

DateCourseDistanceTypeWeightPosition
11/09/22CUR10Y9-28
28/07/22GOO10GF9-06
17/07/22CUR9Gd9-23
22/06/22NAA10Gd9-210
24/05/22GOW9.5Y9-31