Sovereign appeared to be a pace-maker for his superior Aidan O’Brien-trained stablemates Anthony Van Dyck and Broome but instead led from start to finish posting a major upset in the Group 1 Irish Derby on Saturday at The Curragh.

It could be ladies’ day Sunday at Saint-Cloud Racecourse in France, where the featured Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud sports a trio of females who might have a better chance than the four males entered in the 1 1/2-mile fixture.

Trainer John Gosden has sent two horses for the race, 5-year-old Coronet and 4-year-old Lah Ti Dar, while French trainer Andre Fabre has the streaking Morgan Le Faye entered.

Iridessa, soundly beaten in two Group 1 races for 3-year-old fillies at a mile earlier this year in England and Ireland, won the longest race of her career and first start against older fillies and mares in Friday’s Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh Racecourse in Ireland.

Ridden by Wayne Lordan for Joseph O’Brien, Iridessa (8-1) was third in a field of five for the first mile and took the lead in the final furlong of the $341,550 race at 1 1/4 miles to win by 2 1/4 lengths over 9-2 Magic Wand.

Among trainer Aidan O’Brien’s six winners of the Derby at Epsom before this year, four returned to capture the Irish Derby, and on Saturday at The Curragh, Anthony Van Dyck, winner of the 2019 Derby, will try to follow Galileo, High Chaparral, Camelot, and Australia with an O’Brien Derby double.

Rival connections will hope Anthony Van Dyck instead emulates Ruler of The World, who was fifth in the Irish Derby after winning the English Derby, and Wings of Eagles, who scored a massive upset at Epsom before coming in third at The Curragh while suffering a career-ending injury.

SHA TIN SELECTIONS

(Monday, July 1, 2019)

Race 1: #1 Victoriam, #5 Master Galaxy, #2 Lucky Guy, #6 Max Glenealy

Race 2: #3 Keep Winning, #9 Mi Blanco, #4 Above, #6 Whampoa Star

Race 3: #2 Dancing Fighter, #10 Holee Money, #1 Super Junior, #11 Iron King

Race 4: #2 Home Run, #8 Shamport, #4 Gracious Ryder, #1 Beauty Loyal

Race 5: #3 Touch Of Luck, #4 Enfolding, #12 Deal Maker, #6 Hay Run

Wild Illusion and Magic Wand, second and fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Churchill Downs last November, meet for the first time this year in Friday’s Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes for fillies and mares at The Curragh Racecourse in Ireland.

The $341,550 Pretty Polly Stakes is run at 1 1/4 miles and is the leading race for older females at The Curragh. The race could have ramifications for the BC Filly and Mare Turf at Santa Anita on Nov. 2.

R1 – 10-11-3-4
R2 – 3-7-9-10
R3 – 5-3-1-6
R4 – 6-11-1-9
R5 – 8-3-7-12
R6 – 12-3-10-1
R7 – 4-1-2-9
R8 – 4-3-2-11

Best – R4 n6 Bullish Brother
Longshot – R5 n7 Jolly Convergence
Best Play – R4 Quin 6 / 1,11

Paul Lally:

Race1 1-11-3-8
Race2 3-7-10-9
Race3 3-1-4-6
Race4 1-6-11-5
Race5 12-2-1-11
Race6 3-1-10-11
Race7 2-11-1-4
Race8 4-2-3-12

For a 133-pound highweight, Country Star has a few advantages in Wednesday’s $249,708 Grass Island Handicap at Happy Valley Racecourse in Hong Kong.

Country Star will be ridden by Joao Moreira. Combined they have teamed to win two of three starts.

Trained by John Size, Country Star tends to run as a stalker, and that style may work in the Grass Island Handicap at five furlongs on turf. There is likely to be sufficient speed from a rival such as Moment of Power to give Moreira a target on Country Star, who breaks from post 7.

HAPPY VALLEY SELECTIONS
(Wednesday, June 26, 2019)

Lys Gracieux, the only mare in a field of 12, won the richest race of her career in Sunday’s Grade 1 Takarazuka Kinen at Hanshin Racecourse in Japan, pulling clear in the final furlong for a comprehensive win by three lengths.