Garden of Eden blossoms in Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot

Garden Of Eden continued her progress to provide trainer Aidan O'Brien with a record sixth victory in the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot.
The Ballydoyle handler saddled three runners in the Group Two contest, with Ryan Moore siding with Garden Of Eden (7-1), who struggled in successive Group races in the spring but raised her game to claim a Listed prize at Naas on her most recent appearance.
Island Hopping was deployed in a pacesetting role, but her early exertions took their toll from the home turn, while Garden Of Eden galloped on powerfully up the straight to score by three and a quarter lengths from Understudy, with 2-1 favourite Catalina Delcarpio back in third.
O'Brien said: "I was impressed with that, I'm delighted. She's getting better which is great.
"We always thought stepping up in trip would help her and we stepped her up to a mile and a quarter the last day and she improved a lot.
"She's by Saxon Warrior and when they go up in distance they do get better so she obviously improved for the step up.
"The Irish Oaks would be a possibility, but she could also go to America for a Grade One over there, we will have to see."
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Irish Daily Mirror

44 minutes ago

• Irish Daily Mirror

Royal Ascot day 4 full race card and tips - list of runners on Friday

Royal Ascot has been a battle between Aidan O'Brien and the John and Thady Gosden team so far, with both camps responsible for five winners each heading into the penultimate day of the meeting. They will both be expected to add to their respective tallies over the next two days, but it is other powerhouse stables who have the market leaders in Friday's two Group Ones - the Commonwealth Cup and the Coronation Stakes. Charlie Appleby is seeking his first winner of the week and Shadow Of Light could give him it in the Commonwealth Cup. The 2,000 Guineas third is being backed for the first Group 1 of the day, with his jockey William Buick riding brilliantly this week. Juddmonte are doubly represented in the six furlong contest and Babouche, a recent Group 3 winner at Naas for Ger Lyons, might just be the best of their chances under Colin Keane, while the Andrew Balding-trained Jonquil is partnered by leading France-based Belgian jockey Christophe Soumillon. Meanwhile, French runner Zarigana looks set to go off favourite for trainer Francis-Henri Graffard in the Coronation Stakes, with Mickael Barzalona taking the ride. The French 1,000 Guineas winner is vying for favoritism with Pretty Polly Stakes victor Falakeyah, while Aidan O'Brien's January is being backed, having finished eighth behind stablemate Lake Victoria in the Irish 1,000 Guineas last month. Here's a full list of the runners and riders, as well as a tip for each race: 2.30pm: 6f Albany Stakes (Group 3) (Fillies) (Class 1) (2yo) 1 Awaken (IRE) B Loughnane2 Balantina (IRE) Tom Marquand3 Bibi Dahl (USA) U Rispoli4 Fairy Oak Colin Keane5 Fitzella Oisin Murphy6 Gold Digger (IRE) Jamie Spencer7 Green Sense (IRE) Dylan McMonagle8 Indigo Dawn (IRE) Pat Dobbs9 Ipanema Queen (IRE) David Egan10 Magny Cours (IRE) Mickael Barzalona11 Nandita (IRE) William Buick12 Oh Cecelia (IRE) James Ryan13 Senorita Vega (IRE) Richard Kingscote14 Signora (IRE) Ryan Moore15 Spinning Lizzie Kieran Shoemark16 Tahalel (IRE) Sean Levey17 Venetian Sun (IRE) Clifford Lee Tip: Ipanema Queen 3.05pm: 6f Commonwealth Cup (Group 1) (No Geldings) (Class 1) (3yo) 1 Ain't Nobody (IRE) Tom Eaves2 Arabie Clifford Lee3 Arizona Blaze David Egan4 Berkshire Whisper (IRE) Kieran Shoemark5 Big Mojo (IRE) Hollie Doyle6 Diablo Rojo (IRE) Rossa Ryan7 Ides Of March (IRE) Wayne Lordan8 Jonquil Christophe Soumillon9 Shadow Of Light William Buick10 Soldier's Heart Callum Shepherd11 Strong Warrior Oisin Orr12 Whistlejacket (IRE) Ryan Moore13 Arabian Dusk Harry Davies14 Babouche Colin Keane15 Carla Ridge (IRE) Chris Hayes16 Lady With The Lamp (IRE) Dylan McMonagle17 Leovanni (IRE) James Doyle18 Rayevka (IRE) Mickael Barzalona19 Sayidah Dariyan (IRE) B Loughnane20 Shisospicy (USA) Oisin Murphy21 Sky Majesty (IRE) Tom Marquand22 Time For Sandals (IRE) Richard Kingscote Tip: Shadow Of Light 3.40pm: 1m4f (1m3f211y) Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes (Handicap) (GBBPlus Race) (Class 2) (3yo+ 0-105) 1 Teumessias Fox (IRE) P J McDonald2 Flight Leader Saffie Osborne3 See Hector (GER) Pat Dobbs4 Caviar Heights (IRE) Tom Marquand5 Mutaawid Jim Crowley6 Naqeeb (IRE) R Sexton7 Hand Of God William Buick8 Mount Atlas Rob Hornby9 Stressfree (FR) Daniel Tudhope10 Max Mayhem Mickael Barzalona11 Siege Of Troy Oisin Murphy12 French Duke (IRE) James Doyle13 War Rooms (IRE) Colin Keane14 Almosh'her Clifford Lee15 Auld Toon Loon (IRE) Pierre Jamin16 Brodure (IRE) Christophe Soumillon17 Blue Lemons (IRE) B Loughnane18 Ethical Diamond (IRE) Ryan Moore19 Satin Shane Foley20 HMS President (IRE) Reserve 121 Crystal Flyer Reserve 222 Cumulonimbus (IRE) Reserve 3 Tip: Mutaawid 4.20pm: 1m (7f213y) (Rnd) Coronation Stakes (Group 1) (Fillies) (Class 1) (3yo) 1 Cathedral David Egan2 Cercene (IRE) Gary Carroll3 Chantilly Lace (IRE) Rossa Ryan4 Duty First Hollie Doyle5 Exactly (IRE) Wayne Lordan6 Falakeyah Jim Crowley7 Flight Oisin Murphy8 January (IRE) Ryan Moore9 Kon Tiki William Buick10 Simmering Dylan McMonagle11 Zarigana Mickael Barzalona Tip: Zarigana 5.00pm: 1m (Str) Sandringham Stakes (Fillies' Handicap) (Class 2) (3yo 0-105) 1 Tabiti Colin Keane2 Betty Clover William Buick3 Serving With Style Clifford Lee4 Mojave River (FR) Dylan McMonagle5 Bountiful B Loughnane6 Silver Ghost (IRE) Sean Levey7 Sweet Chariot (IRE) Ryan Moore8 Amangani (IRE) Wayne Lordan9 Nancy J (IRE) Shane Foley10 Supermodel (IRE) Tom Marquand11 Miss Nightfall Oisin Murphy12 Never Let Go Kieran Shoemark13 Zgharta (IRE) Hollie Doyle14 Trad Jazz Harry Davies15 Oolong Poobong (IRE) Connor Beasley16 Saariselka Mickael Barzalona17 Cartwheel Andrew Slattery18 Dash Of Azure Richard Kingscote19 Cajole Saffie Osborne20 Sea Poetry (IRE) Trevor Whelan21 Purple Rainbow Warren Fentiman (5)22 Annsar Jack Doughty23 Bassadanza Joe Fanning24 Dancing Teapot (IRE) Chris Hayes25 Alfareqa David Probert26 Ryka (IRE) S D Bowen27 Arabian Leopard Silvestre De Sousa28 Eazy On The Eye Grace McEntee Tip: Alfareqa 5.35pm: 1m4f (1m3f211y) King Edward VII Stakes (Group 2) (Colts & Geldings) (Class 1) (3yo) 1 Amiloc Rossa Ryan2 Convergent (IRE) Clifford Lee3 Galveston Wayne Lordan4 Green Storm (IRE) B Loughnane5 Minhad Tom Marquand6 Nightwalker Colin Keane7 Opportunity James Doyle8 Puppet Master (IRE) Ryan Moore9 Regal Ulixes Oisin Murphy10 Wimbledon Hawkeye Silvestre De Sousa11 Zahrann (IRE) Ben Coen Tip: Amiloc 6.10pm: 5f Palace Of Holyroodhouse Stakes (Handicap) (Class 2) (3yo 0-105) 1 Hammer The Hammer (IRE) Tom Eaves2 Mr Lightside (IRE) Kevin Stott3 Jungle Drums (IRE) Saffie Osborne4 Candy George Wood5 Miss Lamai (IRE) Clifford Lee6 Maw Lam (IRE) Jack Nicholls (7)7 Zayer (IRE) Hollie Doyle8 Stormy Impact Warren Fentiman (5)9 Redorange Rossa Ryan10 Bodhi Bear (IRE) Seamie Heffernan11 King's Call (IRE) D Swift12 Realign (FR) James Doyle13 Ruby's Profit (IRE) Kieran Shoemark14 Enola Holmes (IRE) David Probert15 Arctic Voyage Richard Kingscote16 Vingegaard (IRE) R Sexton17 Englemere (IRE) B Loughnane18 Red Sand (IRE) Tom Marquand19 Dark Cloud Rising Daniel Tudhope20 Suhail Star (IRE) Ashley Lewis (7)21 King Of Light Shane Foley22 King Of Bears (IRE) Callum Shepherd23 Adrestia Oisin Murphy24 Jorge Alvares (IRE) Colin Keane25 Brosay Edward Greatrex26 Brighton Boy (IRE) William Buick27 Lexington Blitz (IRE) Sean Levey28 Mearall (IRE) Shane Gray29 An Outlaw's Grace (IRE) Reserve 130 Topwarrior Reserve 231 Gold Star Hero (IRE) Reserve 3 Tip: Realign

Irish Independent

14 hours ago

• Irish Independent

Garden blooms for Aidan O'Brien on first try over a mile and a half in Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot

Having raced handily behind runaway front-runner Island Hopping, Moore produced his mount to lead entering the final two furlongs and the daughter of Saxon Warrior cleared away to win by three and a quarter lengths. The lightly raced Understudy (40/1) stayed on from off the pace into second, with the 2/1 favourite Catalina Delcarpio half a length further back in third. A Listed winner at Naas last time, Garden Of Eden was providing O'Brien with a third consecutive Ribblesdale Stakes, following Warm Heart (2023) and Port Fairy (2024). O'Brien said: 'I was impressed with that. Garden Of Eden is getting better, which is great. We always thought stepping up in trip would help her. We stepped her up to a mile and a quarter the last day and she improved a lot. 'She is by Saxon Warrior and, when they go up in distance, they do get better. The Irish Oaks would be a possibility, but she could also go to America for a Grade 1 over there – we will have to see.' Moore said: 'Garden Of Eden was very impressive. She has been gradually improving. Aidan kept saying every time she steps up, she will get better. 'We went a hard pace and got a bit detached. She kind of dropped the bridle and ran in snatches. Billy [Lee on the favourite] sneaked down the inside but, when I asked her to quicken, Garden Of Eden quickened very well. Just typical Aidan – he keeps making them better." Understudy's co-trainer Thady Gosden said: 'She has run a very nice race there. It was only the third start of her life. She won well at Southwell last time out and it was a change of scene here today. She is a homebred of Bjorn Nielsen's, with a very good pedigree. When they are upped as much in grade that quickly, you're not quite sure how it will go, but we hoped she would run a good race, and she has.' Paddy Twomey said of the third: 'Catalina Delcarpio is a lovely filly and ran a career best. She probably just didn't see out the trip today, but I think when she is a little bit stronger and a little bit older, she will. She is just coming into herself and I think she will be a very good four-year-old. We side-stepped Epsom and races like that on purpose, because I think it was coming too soon for her. I doubt I will run her in the Irish Oaks. Maybe something like a Blandford Stakes on Irish Champions weekend, something like that, over 10 furlongs.'

Irish Examiner

14 hours ago

• Irish Examiner

No weather worries for O'Brien as temperatures rise at Ascot

With Royal Ascot baking in the sunshine, and temperatures set to be even hotter for the final two days of the showpiece fixture, Aidan O'Brien has praised all involved in horse welfare this week. And the master of Ballydoyle also allayed any fears the equine athletes on show would find conditions unduly oppressive, despite the mercury rising. O'Brien said: "Horses love heat, it's in their nature and when you are training horses they thrive in the heat and in the cold they don't always try, they don't like the cold weather. "Heat is always an advantage for horses and as long as there is plenty of water at hand, you would prefer it to be warm — if you asked the horse what weather he would like, I would know what he would say. "Ascot do an incredible job and we've had beautiful weather this week. I promise you, if you are training horses you would see the difference. When it's warm horses train better and get bigger and stronger, they eat better and drink better. When it's cold they put all their energy into keeping warm, so it's better it is warm any day." Dr Sally Taylor, head of equine regulation, safety, and welfare for the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), told ITV Racing: "The most important thing to realise is horses are very able to acclimatise to hot weather. When horses sweat it is their primary mechanism of losing heat, as the sweat evaporates it takes with it the heat so that is what you see when a horse sweats at the start. "When they finish racing we are able to mimic that process by applying cold water and creating a breeze. Ascot does a fantastic job, there is iced water available, horses are supervised by vets at all stages of their journey across the racecourse and they have state-of-the-art fans here to create a breeze."