Albigna Returns in the Snow Fairy

[Wandering Eyes]

Friday’s card at The Curragh sees the Niarchos family’s G1 Prix Marcel Boussac heroine Albigna (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) getting back down to business in the G3 Snow Fairy Fillies S. Last seen finishing sixth in the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas here June 13, the homebred who was also successful in the G2 Airlie Stud S. and fourth in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf during last term was jarred up during the mile Classic and has been found an ideal reintroduction by Jessie Harrington. “It’s a comeback race, so let’s hope it all goes well,” the owner-breeders’ racing manager Alan Cooper said. “It’s a good opportunity–it’s very nice to have a race like that at this time of year. She was a little jarred up in the Guineas, so we had to back off her. Now she’s in very good form, so we hope this is the beginning of an autumn campaign.”

Aidan O’Brien tackles the nine-furlong contest with the Irish 1000 third So Wonderful (War Front), who is on a roll after winning Friday’s Listed Vincent O’Brien Ruby S. at Killarney. He also saddles another Killarney listed scorer in Lovelier (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who took the July 13 Cairn Rouge S. and was subsequently second in the G2 Kilboy Estate S. over this course and distance six days later.

Coolmore are also strongly represented in the G3 Kilcarn Stud Flame of Tara Irish EBF S. with the Donnacha O’Brien-trained Nicest (Ire) (American Pharoah), a daughter of the G1 Irish Oaks heroine Chicquita (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) who won on debut over this mile trip at Leopardstown July 23. Donnacha has an idea as to the merit of two of her rivals in The Aga Khan’s Emaniya (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) and Ballydoyle’s Divinely (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who were first and fourth in a mile maiden in which one of his juveniles April Showers (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was second at Cork Aug. 8.

Making a quick turnaround from winning Sunday’s valuable Irish EBF Ballyhane S. at Naas, Ballydoyle’s Chief Little Hawk (Air Force Blue) takes in the card’s G3 Heider Family Stables Round Tower S. over six furlongs. In opposition is the winner of Sunday’s consolation race, the Silver Irish EBF Ballyhane S., in Sweet Gardenia (GB) (Showcasing {GB}), while Ken Condon saddles the exciting prospect Teresa Mendoza  (Ire) (Territories {Ire}) who had the Ballyhane runner-up Monaasib (GB) (Bobby’s Kitten) back in second when winning her sole start over this course and distance July 10.

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