Coolmore Stud Wootton Bassett Irish EBF Futurity Stakes |
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| Group 2, Curragh 15:27 €120,000 guaranteed, 2yo, 7f, Class 1  |
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1 Henry Longfellow 2/9F
2 Islandsinthestream 6/1
3 Portland 18/1
5 ran Distances: 2l, 3l, 5l
Time: 1m 26.44s (slow by 3.44s)
Dewhurst next for Aidan O'Brien's Henry Longfellow who is impressive in the @coolmorestud Wootton Bassett @IrishEBF_ Futurity Stakes @curraghrace pic.twitter.com/6utgyohY3r https://t.co/1gtArh3UBK via @RacingBetter
— RacingBetter (@RacingBetter) August 19, 2023
Even by Coolmore standards Henry Longfellow's breeding stands out, being by Dubawi out of the brilliant mare Minding.
He was an easy winner on his debut 28 days previously and Aidan O’Brien wasted no time in stepping him up in grade to Group Two level.
Only four went to post and briefly Ryan Moore had to shake the market leader up, as Ger Lyons’ Spanish Flame appeared to be going marginally the better.
But once Henry Longfellow got himself sorted out and hit top gear, he soon breezed by and it looked as if he was going to go away and win by a large margin.
To the credit of Isandsinthestream, trained by Joseph O’Brien, he kept the 2-9 favourite honest, but there was still a comfortable two lengths between them at the line.
Not surprisingly updated Classic quotes were quickly available, with Henry Longfellow 5-1 from 9-1 for the 2000 Guineas with Betfair while Coral were less impressed and left him untouched at 16-1 for Newmarket and 12-1 for the Derby.
O’Brien – who is also responsible for Guineas and Derby favourite City Of Troy – said: “You’d be very happy. The good thing about it was that it was a solid, even-run race so he’ll learn plenty.
“That’s what we were hoping would happen, either that or he would have had to go himself. It was lovely and I’m delighted.
“He’s a classy horse, he’s able to travel and quickens, too. He got a bit lazy when he went there and Ryan caught hold of him and made him stretch out, that’s what he wanted.
“The next one is the Dewhurst, that is the plan. City Of Troy is coming here to the National Stakes so he’ll go to the Dewhurst, just to try to divide them up.
“He’s not short of pace, but Dubawis do stay and his mother was very unusual as she won Group Ones from a mile all the way to a mile and a half.”
He added: “Ryan said there was no problem if it was going to be heavy today, no worry about it, and no problem on nice ground.
“P-C (Boudot) rides him in all his work and he said he was very happy. When those fellas are saying that, they know what they are at usually.”
Galileo Irish EBF Futurity Stakes (Group 2)
€120,000 guaranteed, 2yo only, 7f
5 ran
Going: Good to Yielding
POS. (DRAW) DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY
1 (3) Henry Longfellow 2 9-5 A P O'Brien Ryan Moore 2/9F
2 (2) 2 Islandsinthestream 2 9-5 Joseph O'Brien Declan McDonogh 6/1
3 (5) 3 Portland 2 9-5 A P O'Brien Seamie Heffernan 18/1
4 (1) 5 Spanish Flame 2 9-5 G M Lyons Colin Keane 9/1
5 (4) 11 Courageous Strike 2 9-5 Adrian Murray WJ Lee 125/1
