Racecards
17:15 Curragh (IRE)
Invincible Spirit Sapphire Stakes (Group 2) (Class 1)
- 7 Runners
- Distance: 5f
- Going: Good to Yielding
- Surface: Turf
- €120,000 added
- Winner: €72,000
- 2nd: €22,799
- 3rd: €10,800
- 4th: €3,600
- Form 431242
- Age 8
- Weight 9-7
- Official Rating 108
- Trainer P T Midgley
- Jockey Joseph O'Brien
soon tracked leaders in 3rd, pushed along before halfway, 5th 1f out, no impression and dropped to 6th inside final furlong
- Form 3403-00
- Age 5
- Weight 9-7
- Official Rating 109
- Trainer E Lynam
- Jockey W M Lordan
soon tracked leaders in 4th, still travelling smoothly 2f out, pushed along to go 3rd from over 1f out, kept on same pace inside final furlong
- Form 233401
- Age 7
- Weight 9-7
- Official Rating 105
towards rear in 6th, pushed along over 2f out, soon some headway on outer, dropped to last 1f out, no impression and eased inside final furlong
- Form 9-94704
- Age 6
- Weight 9-7
- Official Rating 109
- Trainer W R Muir
- Jockey P J Smullen
soon led, joined from over 2f out, narrowly headed from 1f out, regained lead inside final furlong and stayed on well
- Form 11511-1
- Age 4
- Weight 9-4
- Official Rating 113
- Trainer M Dods
- Jockey P Mulrennan
close up in 2nd, on terms over 2f out, soon pushed along, gained narrow lead from 1f out, headed and kept on without matching winner inside final furlong
- Form 40-6302
- Age 4
- Weight 9-4
- Official Rating 107
- Trainer D H Brown
- Jockey Andrea Atzeni
soon raced in 5th, pushed along before halfway, 6th 1f out, kept on final furlong into 4th closing stages
- Form 241-436
- Age 3
- Weight 9-0
- Official Rating 99
- Trainer T Hogan
- Jockey C O'Donoghue
in rear, pushed along 2f out on inner, 4th 1f out, kept on same pace final furlong and dropped to 5th closing stages
Verdict
UK raiders have won four of the last six and have the majority of the entries here. Monsieur Joe has been a tremendous servant to connections and has continued in excellent form without quite managing to add to his ten victories and Stepper Point returns to the scene of his last victory when comfortably landing a Group 3 in September. MECCA'S ANGEL has come here in search of ground with some give, as it was for her two latest victories in Group 3's at Newbury and Longchamp. She's a very classy filly in those conditions and providing the ground doesn't dry out she can complete a four-timer. Wind Fire makes of the raiding quartet and he had Stepper Point behind when runner-up to Waady in a Group 3 at Sandown last time. Moviesta has moved to Eddie Lynam's sprint academy and his close third in last year's L'Abbaye at Longchamp gives him an obvious chance of keeping the prize at home.
Formwatch
Monsieur Joe (IRE) prominent on rail, pushed along in close 3rd halfway, ridden 1 1/2f out, no extra inside final furlong, kept on one pace
Moviesta (USA) chased leaders, ridden well over 1f out, weakened entering final furlong
Russian Soul (IRE) held up behind leaders, 4th halfway, ridden in 5th over 1f out, not clear run 200 yards out, kept on same pace in 3rd closing stages
Stepper Point chased leaders, losing place when slightly hampered well over 1f out
Wind Fire (USA) towards rear, ridden over 1f out, never involved
Dikta Del Mar (SPA) close up, ridden halfway, every chance over 1f out, stayed on one pace