Group 1 races occurred in three countries across Europe on Sunday. The Curragh‘s Phoenix Stakes was won for an 18th time by Aidan O’Brien as Sun Goddess claimed the opening juvenile Group 1 of the Irish flat season. On the continent, Samangan won the Prix Maurice de Gheest and Tiffany claimed the Grosser Preis von Berlin at Hoppegarten.
Here is today’s racing news round-up from GG to start the week.
Sunday racing results: Three Group 1 scores settled in Europe
The first two-year-old Group 1 in Ireland went the way of Aidan O’Brien for the 18th time on Sunday. Favourite Sun Goddess delivered a power-packed finish to win the Phoenix Stakes impressively under Ryan Moore. The Sioux Nation filly was winning for the third time in five starts, justifying her trainer’s decision to make her his leading candidate for the race. Joseph O’Brien’s Folsom Blues was second ahead of another filly in Velozee in third. (Sky Sports)
There was joy for Sir Mark Prescott at Hoppegarten as Tiffany finally won at the highest level. The six-year-old mare had been placed three times in Group 1 company before lining up on Sunday, including twice in Germany. This time though, she and Luke Morris would not be denied. The 17/10 favourite narrowly denied the German-trained Bright Light, ensuring an away winner across the trio of Sunday Group 1s. (Sporting Life)
Prescott’s Newmarket neighbour William Haggas suffered heartbreak in France though. Division was beaten by just a short neck in the Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville. The race went the way of Samangan, once a 2000 Guineas hope, for Francis-Henri Graffard. Stolen Kiss, fourth in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes in a blanket finish at Royal Ascot, took third, while 1000 Guineas heroine True Love, who started favourite for Ballydoyle, could only finish fifth. (France Galop)
Mojo back at the Curragh
Big Mojo returned to winning ways on the undercard at the Curragh. Only five horses contested the Group 3 Phoenix Sprint Stakes, with Mick Appleby’ charge going off favourite despite an underwhelming season to date. Last year’s Haydock Sprint Cup hero proved a class apart, defeating Bucanero Fuerte by a length-and-a-quarter. It was trainer Mick Appleby’s first winner in more than two weeks, as connections eye the Breeders’ Cup to conclude the campaign. (Racing Post)
Moore shows class in Shergar Cup
Ryan Moore’s call-up to the Shergar Cup paid dividends for the Great Britain & Ireland team at Ascot. Moore guided Asgard’s Captain and Archers Bay to success, as he took home the Silver Saddle for best jockey at the event. he was also placed on two of his other three rides on the day. The GB&I team, captained by Saffie Osborne who also rode a winner on the day, took a comfortable victory in the contest, with the Hong Kong Jockey Club team and Team Europe sharing second place. (At The Races)