Comer Group International Curragh Cup
(Group 2 2800m)

Latrobe held most of the race interest - certainly from a future Melbourne Cup perspective - but finished a narrow second to Twilight Payment, a former Godolphin horse. TP had previously finished 2nd to Order of St George on two occasions and within 3 lengths of Rekindling in his winning year. He had come into the Curragh Cup winning the Listed Levmoss Stakes over the same distance, so was showing good form.

After that race his trainer Jim Bolger was reported as saying: "The better horses have been running well over the last six weeks and any little step up on that was helpful. He'd a good run at Navan the last day. He could go for the Curragh Cup and maybe Melbourne later in the year. He's been a good servant and is nothing if not consistent".

Interestingly, the horse he beat in that Stakes race - Falcon Eight (who Racing Victoria's GM of International Operations revealed today is on their Melbourne Cup wishlist) - is listed at $26 now on Sportsbet for the Melbourne Cup. In the race prior he was within two lengths of Master of Reality, who's at $21. Twilight Payment doesn't feature in that list (or Ladbroke's or TAB's), but it was noted in several articles I've read that he's at $51.

They're now likely to aim him at the St Leger trials (16th August) and then the St Leger Stakes (14th September) - 7 weeks out from The Cup. Plenty of time to make an attempt here, given that a horse must spend 2 weeks in quarantine prior to travel, followed by a further 2 weeks at Werribee.

Watch the race here: https://www.racingtv.com/videos/watch/ondemand/34577


Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby
(2400m Group 1 for 3yos)

Latrobe won this race last year. Anthony Van Dyck and Broome were at the top of early betting here and they're still listed quite highly in Cup futures (both $26 at TAB). They got whacked in this race though by another Coolmore/Aidan O'Brien runner - Sovereign, at odds - who put 6 lengths on the others.

He went out to a huge early lead and the field could make very little in-road, with some calling it a betting sting. He did win his maiden by 14 lengths, so has talent, but his record appears very inconsistent.

Watch the race here: https://youtu.be/SRAyZpPD9BU


There might be an interesting prospect from another race on the same program: Buckhurst, who took out the 2000m International Stakes. Trained by Joseph O'Brien and owned by Lloyd Williams. Johannes Vermeer won the same race in 2017. As did Yucatan last year. Looks a good'n and is at $101 at Ladbroke's.


Grand Prix De Saint-Cloud
(2400m Group 1)

Last year's Cup's second placegetter Marmelo finished 4 lengths back in 5th without threatening, just behind the Grand Prix de Chantilly winner Aspetar. Out in front was Coronet, closely followed by Ziyad and Lah Ti Dar. It was 36 degrees there the day before. Watch the race here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gQLBrP01jw


Square de Luynes won the Oslo Cup (2400m Group 3). Race fave Mehdaayih won the Prix De Malleret (2400m Group 2 for 3yo fillies) and another fave in French King authoritatively won the Grosser Hansa-Preis (2400m Group 2).


Coming up this weekend are the qualifying races the Lancashire Oaks and Deutsches Derby, both for 3 year olds and likely not of a standard to warrant the trip here.


Looking at Futures markets, Godolphin's Ispolini is a horse that seems to be a quiet overachiever. On Ladbroke's he's at $21, the second line of betting, alongside Marmelo, Master of Reality and Torcedor (who missed his flight to Melbourne last year on reporting an elevated temperature). I haven't found any news saying he's coming, but he previously had an entry in this year's Sydney Cup. After winning the Nad Al Sheba Trophy (check out the finish: https://youtu.be/Tf0mhcEXq7Y?t=156) he elected to remain in Dubai for the Gold Cup instead, finishing 1.25L behind Cross Counter and way ahead of Gold Mount and Prince of Arran. That was back in March and he's since finished 7 lengths behind Stradivarius in the Yorkshire Cup Stakes.