The Tattersalls Gold Cup |
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| Group 1, Curragh 15:40 €250,000 added, 4yo plus, 1m 2f 110y  |
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| Sunday 22nd May 2016 | |
1 Fascinating Rock 9/4
2 Found 8/15F
3 Success Days 8/1
NR: The Grey Gatsby (IRE), Time Test
6 ran Distances: 3¾l, 1½l, 4¼l
TIME 2m 20.72s (slow by 10.72s)
Fascinating Rock turns the tables on Found and wins the Tattersalls Gold Cup
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The Dermot Weld-trained winner had beaten Aidan O'Brien's subsequent Breeders' Cup Turf heroine in last season's Champion Stakes at Ascot, but Found gained her revenge when the pair met in the Mooresbridge Stakes three weeks ago.
Found was consequently sent off the 8/15 favourite to confirm that form in this Group One contest, but Weld's inmate showed improvement from his first run of the year and galloped on strongly to score by three and three-quarter lengths in the hands of Pat Smullen.
Success Days, who split Found and Fascinating Rock when runner-up in the Mooresbridge, finished a close third, having raced alone against the stands' rail in the straight.
Smullen said: "He's a very good horse. We were always confident he was going to improve for his last run.
"We were very pleased with his work heading into the race. He's a horse who is only maturing now, but he's a horse who needs ease in the ground. We prayed for rain and got it."
Weld said: "It's a race I love to win. It's an excellent Group One and it always takes a very good horse to win it.
"I've been fortunate to win it with a few very good horses in the past and he's as good as any of them.
"He beat Found fair and square in the English Champion Stakes last year so there was no reason he couldn't beat her again.
"I'll speak to the owner but he might have the summer off now. We'll look to train him for the Irish Champion Stakes and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
"His next race will most likely be the Royal Whip (Curragh in August) as a prep for the Irish Champion Stakes.
"He has all the class to win an Arc. He has won a group race over a mile and a half at Leopardstown so gets the trip well.
"He's a big horse and takes a run, no matter what you do with him.
"Last year we took him to Windsor and he came back and won at Leopardstown. It's hard to get him 100 per cent first time out.
"That was a excellent renewal of the race and Found is an outstanding mare."
O'Brien said of Found: "It's always a bit disappointing when you are beat but she ran very well.
"She has the choice of two races - either at Epsom (Coronation Cup) or Ascot (Prince of Wales's Stakes)."
The Tattersalls Gold Cup (Group 1)
€250,000 added, 4yo plus, 1m 2f 110y
6 ran
Going: Soft
| Pos | Dr | D | Horse SP | Jockey Weight | Trainer | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | (4) | Fascinating Rock (IRE) 9/4 | P J Smullen 9-3 |
D K Weld | 5 | |
| 2nd | (6) | 3¾ | Found (IRE) 8/15f | R L Moore 9-0 |
A P O'Brien | 4 |
| 3rd | (8) | 1½ | Success Days (IRE) 8/1 | S Foley 9-3 |
K J Condon | 4 |
| 4th | (3) | 4¼ | Bocca Baciata (IRE) 25/1 | C O'Donoghue 9-0 |
Mrs J Harrington | 4 |
| 5th | (7) | 7 | Hot Sauce (IRE) 100/1 | K Fallon 9-0 |
J J Murphy | 4 |
| 6th | (5) | 6½ | The Steward (USA) 150/1 | D P McDonogh 9-3 |
D K Weld | 5 |
| NR | (1) | The Grey Gatsby (IRE) 5/1 | J P Spencer 9-3 |
K A Ryan | 5 | |
| NR | (2) | Time Test 6/1 | L Dettori 9-3 |
R Charlton | 4 |
