‘One To Celebrate And Enjoy’: O’Brien Hails Whirl And Kalpana’s Pretty Polly Battle

[Wandering Eyes]

Saturday's action at The Curragh was all about Wootton Bassett once again as Whirl completed a treble for Coolmore's red-hot sire in a thrilling renewal of the feature G1 Pretty Polly Stakes. Denying Juddmonte's Kalpana (Study Of Man) after a prolonged tussle between Ryan Moore and Colin Keane, Ballydoyle's Oaks runner-up followed on where the stable's Dorset and Beautify had led earlier on the card.

Aidan O'Brien was impressed by the battle royal. “It's hard coming back from a mile and a half to this trip, a bit like walking a tightrope but Ryan got it spot-on again. That's what you want to come racing to watch, one we'll remember for a long time,” he said. “They went at it all the way and eyeballed each other and it was ding-dong. With fellas like that riding like they are, it's one to celebrate and enjoy–a great spectacle.”

Of the winner, who also took the G3 Musidora Stakes at York in May and is yet another advert for her stratospheric sire, he added, “She's very special and very tough. She doesn't blow and is one of those hard and genuine racing machines with big lungs–she's all muscle and bone.”

As she had at Epsom, Whirl was placed on the front end from the outset. Joined and briefly headed by the 5-6 market-leader as the expected duel got underway, the 13-8 second favourite had extra to give close home to prevail by 1 1/4 lengths, with last year's G1 Prix de Diane runner-up Survie (Churchill) 1 3/4 lengths away in third.

Group 1 glory!

Whirl strikes from Kalpana in a thrilling €300,000 @paddypower Pretty Polly Stakes for Ryan Moore, Aidan O'Brien and Ballydoyle @curraghrace pic.twitter.com/76Eys2rB3i

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) June 28, 2025

The post ‘One To Celebrate And Enjoy’: O’Brien Hails Whirl And Kalpana’s Pretty Polly Battle appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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