Weld secures fifth Irish 1,000 Guineas win at Curragh

Forty years after his first win in the race, age-less Curragh trainer, Dermot Weld, secured a fifth Irish 1,000 Guineas when his Homeless Songs routed her rivals in the Tattersalls-sponsored contest at the Curragh on Sunday.

Weld has enjoyed a glittering career, with names like Vintage Crop, Go And Go, Vinnie Roe and Media Puzzle doing him proud all over the world.

In recent times things have been a bit quieter for the master of Rosewell House, but in Homeless Songs he has the makings of another superstar.

Chris Hayes was entrusted with the mount aboard the 11/2 shot who was smartly away from the stalls.

Fifth at the two-furlong marker, Homeless Songs cruised into the lead on the stands side as the field entered the final furlong.

The victorious daughter of Frankel was in top gear now and, with consummate ease, the Moyglare Stud-owned filly powered home to beat 11/4 favourite Tuesday by five-and-a-half-lengths.

This really was a demolition job by the winner. Concerns had been raised beforehand about the form of Weld’s horses – his stable has been a bit out of sorts of late – but that didn’t matter a jot in this case as Homeless Song, who was tackling a mile for the first time, was sensational.

Weld reported: “It was an excellent performance by Homeless Songs and a lovely ride by Chris, he must take great credit.

“She did it impressively today and she has always shown brilliance. She’s not the easiest to keep right but when you have her right, she is very good.

“My only concern was would she bring that speed over a mile, I felt if she did, she would win the Guineas.”

Sunday’s success opens up new avenues for the winner, with a trip across the Irish Sea now likely.

“We’ll probably go to Royal Ascot next for the Coronation Stakes. She is a brilliant filly to have and the next day will tell us more,” added Weld.

It was also a memorable afternoon for Guineas-winning jockey Hayes. The Limerick native said: “I was delighted to get the call to ride Homeless Songs this year. She’s an amazing filly. I rode her in a bit of work last year and I thought she was as good a two-year-old as I’d say on all year.

“She has an extraordinary turn of foot, and the last thing I wanted to do was to be looking for gaps. She likes a bit of room, let her at it, and you saw what you can do.”

Native blazes a Trail in 2,000 Guineas

UK trainer, Charlie Appleby, completed a unique treble when his Native Trail justified odds-on favouritism in the Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas at The Curragh last Saturday.

Having been successful in the English 2,000 Guineas with Corebus and the French equivalent with Modern Games, Appleby came to the Curragh hoping to add the Irish prize to his haul.

Punters certainly thought he could, sending Native Trail – who had filled the runner-up spot behind his stable companion Corebus in Newmarket- off a prohibitive 2/5 favourite.

While he good the job done in the end, William Buick’s mount did have a few anxious moments. Bustled up to get competitive, the son of Oasis Dream got to the front just inside the furlong marker, and then had to withstand a strong challenge from Shelia Lavery’s 40/1 shot New Energy who was a length-and-three-quarters adrift at the line.

To be fair, a shock never quite looked on the cards, with Native Trail doing his best work in the final 100 yards.

Appleby reflected: “You try to be calm and collected before these races, but I knew what we were trying to achieve, first on trying to win a Guineas but also on trying to make history.

“It’s the first time it’s been done, winning the three Guineas with three different colts and it’s a huge achievement for everybody, I’m just delighted to be a part of it.

“I was confident in both William (Buick) and the horse. I knew once he angled him out and once he gave him the office and told him it was time to go to work, the horse would respond. He’s done it in spades in the end.”

Limerick Racecourse manager steps down

Limerick Raceourse are looking for a new manager following the surprise news that Emma White has stepped down from her role at Greenmount Park after just four months in the job.

Ms White was appointed manager at the Patrickwell facility last November after the previous manager, Patrick O’Callaghan, left the position late last year.

Having come to Ireland from the UK where she was general manager of Sedgefield Racecourse for the previous three years, the Yorkshire native was only officially in charge at Limerick since January 24 this year.

Her departure will come as a blow to the track where there are 11 meetings scheduled to take place between now and July 21.

Announcing her decision to vacate the role, Ms White said: “It wasn’t an easy decision for me to make, I had to be 100 per cent certain that the job was for me. Coming towards the end of my probationary period, I wasn’t sure of that.

“Unfortunately, I had to make the decision and now is the right time to say so.”

“I’m gutted because I love the track and have completely fallen in love with Ireland and Irish racing. I hope this isn’t the end of my Irish journey, but it is as far as Limerick Racecourse is concerned.”