Caroline’s & Marie-Francoise’s Sunday Selections for 9th August 2026
Caroline’s Sunday Selections from The Curragh & Marie-Francoise’s Deauville Picks
The Curragh
Grand Hotel Malahide Irish EBF Fillies Juvenile Race 1.45
Ibelieveicanfly
I do think that this Fillies Maiden is going to go to Aidan O’Brien with Ibelieveicanfly, as long as Ryan Moore can keep an eye on Admired Beauty. They clashed in another Fillies Maiden here the last day, and it was Jim Bolger’s Admired Beauty who came out on top, but it says plenty to me that Ryan Moore keeps his partnership with Ibelieveicanfly, so obviously expects more on this Frankel filly’s fourth start. Speckles, another Ballydoyle two year old, didn’t disgrace herself on her debut under rules in that same Maiden, but for me is only after the minor money with Admired Beauty and Ibelieveicanfly lining up. Ibelieveicanfly to get it all together under Ryan Moore at the fourth time of asking.
FBD Hotels And Resorts Phoenix Sprint Stakes (Group 3) 3.25
Big Gossey (nap)
Better than ever this season, despite his advancing years, Charles O’Brien’s stable stalwart owes connections nothing, but can pick up another big prize here. Of course, the obvious danger is going to be Clive Cox’s James’s Delight, third in the Greenlands Stakes behind Big Gossey the last day, where neither of them could get in front of Donnacha O’Brien’s Comanche Brave, with Bucanero Fuerte back in fourth. So, with the second, third and fourth from that Group 2 going to post here, it looks to me a really hot race on paper, with Robson Aguiar’s Bucanero Fuerte likely to make the pace. Big Mojo is a Group One winner, but for me hasn’t been quite as on song this year, so I’m expecting Bucanero Fuerte to hit the front and James’s Delight to keep close up with him. These tactics could play right into Big Gossey’s gameplan as Billy lee makes a late move inside the final furlong and a half, so that’s where my Euro’s going!
Keeneland Phoenix Stakes (Group 1) (No Geldings) 4.00
Sun Goddess
Very much a race targeted by Aidan O’Brien as he sends out his star Juveniles, and this year it’s Sun Goddess that carries the hopes of Ballydoyle. She’s two from two here at the Curragh, and her win in the Airlie Stud Stakes on the track the last day on similarly fast ground stacks up as top form for me. For all that, Celeron won the Group 2 GAIN Railway Stakes here three weeks ago, so Oisin Murphy is back to try more of the same please, and that’s where the race is going to be, but for me, Sun Goddess wasn’t fully extended by Ryan Moore in that Group 2 the last day, so there should be more to come. With the sex allowance giving Sun Goddess 3lbs over Celeron, I do think that is enough to make the difference, so she gets my big tick!
Deauville
Prix Daphnis – Jockey Club Argentino (Group 3) 3.05
Komorebi
Oh yes, I think that it will be Andre Fabre’s Komorebi that will win this Prix Daphnis. He is a very very good colt, who was second in the Poule d’Essai des Poulains, but the Prix du Jockey Club the next time was perhaps too far non? D’accord, but Andre Fabre must be aware that Khovikhov won the Prix de la Porte Maillot at Longchamp the last time, and that Francis-Henri Graffard’s Synaran is also a very very good horse. And that is just the runners from France, so I must say that Charlie Appleby’s Distant Storm is a very very good colt, and had very good placings in the 2,000 Guineas in Angleterre and in Ireland. Maybe this race can be won by the horse that is best on this ground at Deauville-Le Touquet, and for me that must be Komorebi.
ARC Prix Maurice de Gheest – Fee – En Memoire de Louis Romanet (Group 1) 3.40
True Love (nb)
Oolala, it must be True Love that can win this Prix Maurice de Gheest, as she has all the Group One form over all of these. First, she won the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket, and although she could not beat her stablemate Precise in the Irish 1,000 Guineas, True Love was second there, and then third behind Precise again in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot, before another second in the Prix Jean Prat here last month. William Haggas has his Kingman colt, Division, who I think may have more wins to come, but must be acting on this ground, so Patrice Cottier’s Stolen Kiss, who is a course winner on soft ground can be the big danger. Oui, this is a very good contest, the Prix Maurice de Gheest, but maintenant it must be True Love to be winning this feature race.
Prix Moonlight Cloud – Hippodromo de San Isidro (Listed) 4.50
No Tune
I must believe that Christopher Head’s No Tune can win this Prix Moonlight Cloud. She was second here over this course and distance the last time, and maybe she can be better than Francis-Henri Graffard’s Moojeed, who went to the front in the Prix de Ris-Orangis but finished in fifth place. Plus, George Scott can do well in France, so Behike has to be part of my list non? and Stephan Wattel’s Kailani can also be in the race. D’accord, it will be No Tune that I think can win, with Moojeed the one to make it the race.
