Course condition vexes Curragh

The possibility of boglike conditions could play havoc with this weekend's Irish Guineas meeting at the Curragh. Trainer Michael Stoute said that Tartan Bearer, favorite for the Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup on Sunday, would not be making the trip from England across the Irish Sea because of the ground, which was officially heavy on Wednesday.

Only slight rains are predicted at the Curragh for the remainder of the week, but the ground will still be no better than soft on Saturday for the Irish 2000 Guineas, for which Delegator, runner-up in Newmarket's 2000 Guineas, is the 8-5 favorite with Paddy Power's. Sunday's Irish 1000 Guineas, for which the soft-ground-loving Again is the 5-2 favorite, will go without Heart Shaped, runner-up in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, if the going is soft or worse. The Irish Turf Club canceled Wednesday's meeting at Sligo because of a waterlogged course, while Thursday's meeting at Clonmel and Friday's at Tipperary are under threat of cancellation.

Alwaary wins Cocked Hat

Alwaary won the listed 1 3/8-mile Cocked Hat Stakes at Goodwood on Wednesday to earn himself a spot in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot. A Kentucky-bred son of Dynaformer owned by Hamdan al-Maktoum, trained by John Gosden, and ridden by Richard Hills, Alwaary scored a three-length victory at 7-1 over Beauchamp Xerxes. Sight Unseen, the 8-5 favorite owned by Khalid Abdullah, ran third, while the highly regarded Free Agent was fourth in his seasonal debut for his owner, Queen Elizabeth.

Donativum starting year at Newmarket

Donativum, winner of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, is slated to make his first start of the year and his first start for Godolphin in the listed seven-furlong King Charles II Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday. Frankie Dettori will ride this son of Cadeaux Genereux, who as a gelding is ineligible for all of the European classics.