There was Group I racing at The Curragh last night where Australian owned State of Rest came up short in the Tattersalls Gold Cup, while the Irish 1,000 guineas produced a new Group I winner for Frankel.
The Group I Tattersalls Gold Cup (1m2 ½ f) produced a thrilling contest with the William Haggas stable coming out on top with four year-old stallion Alenquer scoring a neck win over Aidan O’Brien’s Galileo son High Definition with State of Rest a gallant close up third.
A multiple Group winner and twice Group I placed, Alenquer produced a career best performance for his first Group I win.
He is the first winner for German bred mare Wild Blossom, who comes from a female family packed with German Black Type winners.
Alenquer is the sixth Group I winner among 22 stakes-winners by German Derby winner Adlerflug.
The Group I Irish 1000 Guineas (1m) was won in commanding style by progressive Frankel filly Homeless Songs trained by Dermot Weld.
A homebred for Moyglare Stud, Homeless Songs went past her rivals like they were tied to the fence and runner-up Tuesday is no slouch having finished third in the Group I Newmarket 1,000 Guineas.
Homeless Songs won one of three starts at two and won her only previous start this year in the Group III Leopardstown 1000 Guineas Trial.
She is a half-sister to stakes-winner Reve de Vol from stakes-winning Dubawi mare Joailliere.
Homeless Songs is the 21st Group I winner for Frankel and is the third for her sire bred from a daughter of Dubawi.
That nick has had 20 winners from 25 runners (80% winner to runner) with five stakes-winners headed by Group I winners Adayar, Dream Castle and now Homeless Songs with the stakes-winner to runner strike rate 20%.
