Sport

Minding can head and O’Brien quad

Sir Isaac Newton &nbsp;(centre) faces only four runners &nbsp;at Curragh tomorrow as he bids to follow up recent big race win at Royal Ascot respectively<br />Pictures by PA&nbsp;
Sir Isaac Newton  (centre) faces only four runners  at Curragh tomorrow as he bids to follow up recent big race win at Royal Ascot respectively
Pictures by PA 
Sir Isaac Newton  (centre) faces only four runners  at Curragh tomorrow as he bids to follow up recent big race win at Royal Ascot respectively
Pictures by PA 

Dual Classic heroine Minding will face just four rivals in the Sea The Stars Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh tomorrow. 

Having struck twice at Group One level as a juvenile, the Galileo filly was a stunning winner of the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket at the start of May.

Aidan O’Brien’s charge suffered a shock defeat when chasing the Guineas double in Ireland three weeks after, but bounced back to her brilliant best to win the Investec Oaks at Epsom and now faces her elders for the first time in her career. She’s the only three-year-old in the line-up.

The James Fanshawe-trained Speedy Boarding lines up off the back of a career-best performance when winning the Prix Corrida at Saint-Cloud. She is joined on the trip from Newmarket by Koora, who made a perfectly satisfactory return to action when runner-up in last month’s Middleton Stakes at York for Luca Cumani.

Jim Bolger’s Lucida and Bocca Baciata from Jessica Harrington’s yard complete the small but select field. The former had a luckless time at Ascot when sixth behind French filly Usherette and could chase home Minding

The Group Two Curragh Cup is a tidy little contest for four runners with €120k to be divided up. Sword Fighter sprang a real shocker at Ascot in the Vase, making virtually all to score at 33/1 with stable-mate Landofhopeandglory beaten one-and-three--quarter lengths into fourth spot behind him.

They clash again here over the shorter trip and the beaten Ascot favourite may take his revenge. Ryan Moore stays on him.

Cork Derby winner Alveena should run well and British challenger Cymro is better than his Ascot handicap run behind Kinema suggests.

The 10-furlong Group Three International Stakes is another well endowed contest with apparently little appeal to owners and trainers. Just five line up and Ascot handicap winner Sir Isaac Newton has Agnes Stewart and Chemical Charge to outrun.

Ardhoomey’s climb through the handicap ranks sees him 11lb higher for three wins and a second this season. He lumps 9-12 in the Rockingham sprint and you could argue that conceding 2lb to Abstraction isn’t going to overstretch him. Might have more to fear from the two British sprinters Kimberella and Desert Law.

Katimavick may have Indian Landing and Great Wide Open to beaten in the seven furlong 70-90 while Maknificent, upped 12lb for her Leopardstown success back at the beginning of the month, might be capable of following up over the likes of Eddystone Rock and Aared in the finale.