Love Me Tender, a German purchase for Willie Mullins, heads the market for the Sky Bet Ebor Handicap, as the Closutton handler bids to win this race for the third time in four years. The four-year-old, who hasn’t run for almost 300 days, will be the mount of William Buick, and is in the same ownership as last year’s winner, Ethical Diamond.

Galway maiden hurdle winner, Mr Hollywood, is another Closutton representative and the third-place finisher in the Queen Alexandra Stakes at Royal Ascot will have the assistance of Saffie Osborne.

Colin Keane, Andrew Balding and Juddmonte have all had a very successful week at York, and they could have another win here with Tarriance. A previous course and distance winner, the four-year-old gelding had a nice prep race for the Ebor when fourth at Goodwood 21 days ago.

Ryan Moore is booked to ride Emit for Joseph O’Brien. Fourth in the Duke Of Edinburgh at Royal Ascot in June, the English jockey maintains his partnership with the bay son of Too Darn Hot. This is significant as Moore has often ridden for Willie Mullins in many of the major staying races in Britain. Choosing to remain loyal to the Flaxman Stables Ireland Ltd gelding should not be overlooked.

Poetic Sound will represent Ger Lyons. The five-year-old son of Poet’s Word will wear blinkers for the first time, and he will be ridden by Gary Carroll.

The final Irish runner is the Henry De Bromhead-trained Ascending. He was runner-up to Ethical Diamond in the Sky Bet Ebor last season and had previously won the Ascot Stakes over two-and-a-half miles. The mount of Oisín Orr might look a decent each-way bet at around 20/1.

Sky Bet City Of York Stakes

There also the Group 1 Sky Bet City Of York Stakes on Saturday with 14 runners going to post.

Puerto Rico and Power Blue will represent Aidan O’Brien and Robson Aguair respectively, but the 2024 Betfred 2000 Guineas and Sussex Stakes winner, Notable Speech, will be all the rage to give Charlie Appleby a winner. Incredibly, the Godolphin trainer hasn’t had a runner during the first three days of the four-day meeting.

The Queen Anne Stakes winner at Ascot, Ten Bob Tony, the mount of Kieran Shoemark, was only two-and-three-quarter lengths behind Bow Echo in the Sussex Stakes, so should be involved here, while the Group 2 Lennox Stakes winner, Lake Forest, should also come into the reckoning.

Irish-trained runner at York on Saturday:

1.50 Sky Bet Strensall Stakes (Group 3)

Expanded (IRE) A P O’Brien
Geryon (IRE) G M Lyons

2.25 Sky Bet Melrose Handicap (Heritage Handicap) (GBBPlus Race)

Limestone (IRE) Joseph Patrick O’Brien
Sharkeyboy (FR) W P Mullins
Bay Of Stars (GB) D K Weld
Vantage Code (IRE) Emmet Mullins

3.00 Sky Bet City Of York Stakes (Group 1)

Power Blue (IRE) Robson Aguiar
Puerto Rico (IRE) A P O’Brien

3.35 Sky Bet Ebor Handicap (Heritage Handicap) (GBBPlus Race)

Mr Hollywood (IRE) W P Mullins
Emit (IRE) Joseph Patrick O’Brien
Poetic Sound (IRE) G M Lyons
Ascending (IRE) Henry De Bromhead
Love Me Tender (GER) W P Mullins

4.45 Julia Graves Roses Stakes (Listed)

Hanney Boy (IRE) Miss E McCutcheon

5.20 Sky Bet Dav Reid Finale Handicap (Heritage Handicap) (GBBPlus Race)

Diego El Queso (IRE) G M Lyons

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With 18 horses declared for the five-furlong sprint, Wesley Ward’s once beaten, Bacio, winner of the Palace Of Holyroodehouse Handicap at Royal Ascot in June, is expected to go off as favourite for jockey Juan Hernandez.

Juddmonte reclaimed most of their sponsorship money on Wednesday when winning the Juddmonte International Stakes with Item, and Coolmore will attempt the same feat in the Nunthorpe with Mission Central.

Bred by Gigginstown House Stud, the gelded son of No Nay Never also won at Royal Ascot over five furlongs. He was a winner of the Group 1 King Charles III Stakes from Rayevka, who also re-opposed today, and will provide a strong challenge, and Overpass.

The Aidan O’Brien-handled Mission Central disappointed the last day when only seventh in the Group 1 Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai July Cup Stakes at Newmarket, and it was noticeable that he faded in the final furlong. Back down to five furlongs on Friday, he should be more suited to the distance and should be in the final shake-up.

For last year’s winner, Asfoora, this may be her final race for trainer Henry Dwyer, who will hope to see her retire to the breeding shed on a positive note. She will again be the mount of Oisín Murphy.

Weatherby’s Lonsdale Cup

The Group 2 Weatherby’s Lonsdale Cup Stakes for the stayers goes to post at 2.25pm. The £250,000 contest sees the return of Cabelloa De Mar from his exertions in the God Cup at Royal Ascot in late June. The son of Phoenix Of Spain will represent George Scott and will be the mount of Oisín Murphy.

Amiloc has not won since the Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot in 2025, and was well supported the last day before jockey Hector Crouch was unseated leaving the stalls in the Group 1 Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup Stakes. Rossa Ryan, the son of Postponed’s regular rider will take the mount on Friday.

Illinois will represent Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore, with the in-form Colin Keane teaming up with Willie Mullins’ runner, Columbus. The Paddy Twomey-handled Carmers is now a non-runner.

Irish-trained runners at York on Friday, 21 August 2026.

1.50 Sky Bet Mile Handicap (Heritage Handicap)

Krasimir (IRE) G M Lyons

2.25 Weatherbys Lonsdale Cup Stakes (Group 2)

Columbus (GER) W P Mullins
Illinois (IRE) A P O’Brien

3.00 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Gimcrack Stakes (Group 2)

Marco Polo (IRE) A P O’Brien

3.35 Coolmore City Of Troy Nunthorpe Stakes (Group 1)

Mission Central (IRE) A P O’Brien

4.10 Assured Data Protection Handicap (Heritage Handicap) (GBBPlus Race)

Truth Be Told (IRE) M C Grassick
Zanndabad (IRE) A J Martin

4.45 British Stallion Studs EBF Convivial Maiden Stakes (GBB Race)

Benjamin Hornigold (GB) Joseph Patrick O’Brien
Oklahoma (USA) A P O’Brien

The post Group 1 Coolmore Nunthorpe is York Friday feature appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

It was a second Group 1 victory in two days for Keane and Juddmonte, having won the Group 1 Juddmonte International Stakes with Item yesterday.

The Andrew Balding-trained Kalpana, winner of the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot on her most recent racecourse appearance, started today’s contest as the 10/11 favourite in the nine-runner field.

Her opposition included the winner of this race last year, Minnie Hauk (4/1), and the recent Group 1 Juddmonte Irish Oaks winner, Johanna Walsh (5/1), the mount of Dylan Browne McMonagle.

Sugar Island, the stable mate of the betting market’s second choice, Minnie Hauk, set a strong pace under Ronan Whelan, and the pair found themselves about 20 lengths ahead as they headed for the home bend.

The daughter of Dubawi found for Whelan in the straight and made the remainder of the field work to close the gap, before she was finally headed at the one-furlong pole.

As Kalpana and Keane took the lead at that stage, Jim Bolger’s Sparán Nua (25/1), with Rossa Ryan in the saddle, went second, while Minnie Hauk and Ryan Moore were third.

The favourite soon began to drift as she battled for the line, with Sparán Nua, in the Newton Anner Stud colours, staying on strongly to challenge the eventual winner, as Minnie Hauk didn’t have the pace to live with either of the main protagonists.

As they hit the finishing line, Kalpana had an advantage of a half-length over Sparán Nua, while the Aidan O’Brien-trained Minnie Hauk was two-and-a-half lengths behind the runner-up.

Earth Shot (20/1), Tattycoram (25/1) and Johanna Walsh, who had all been prominent in the earlier stages of the race, faded to finish fourth, fifth and sixth respectively.

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Ridden by Ryan Moore, the Aidan O’Brien filly was carrying a penalty for her recent Group 1 Phoenix Stakes success at The Curragh.

Held up towards the rear of a big field of runners, the daughter of Sioux Nation was hampered when making her original challenge.

Moore switched the juvenile to the right with more than a furlong to run, but she still had plenty to do to become a major player at the business end of the race.

Once she got daylight and the assistance of Moore in the saddle, the Group 1 winner made striking headway before she took the lead with a furlong to race.

She quickly put daylight between herself and the remainder of the field, and the result was crystal clear within strides, as she ran out a most-impressive six-length winner.

Battle Fever, and 80/1 shot, took second for Kevin Ryan and Kevin Stott, with Speed Of Sound (40/1), next home, three-quarters-of-a-length further back, in the hands of Saffie Osbourne.

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Irish-trained fillies will hold a strong hand in this race with recent Juddmonte Irish Oaks winner, Johanna Walsh, and Aidan O’Brien’s 2025 Yorkshire Oaks victor, Minnie Hauk, leading the Irish challenge in a race the Ballydoyle handler has taken in five of the past six years. The Irish team will be completed by Jim Bolger’s Sparán Nua and Aidan O’Brien’s Sugar Island.

Juddmonte Farms, winning owners of the Juddmonte International hero yesterday, Item, will likely add another Group 1 with Kalpana here.

The five-year-old daughter of Study Of Man is a multiple winner at the highest level, most recently defeating Calandagan, Benvenuto Cellini, Lambourn and one of today’s opponents, Minnie Hauwk, in the Group 1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot.

Legacy Link, runner-up to Thundering On in the Betfred Oaks at Epsom in June, is also among the nine-runner field, and will add strength to the Juddmonte challenge.

In the opening Group 2 for fillies, the Sky Bet Lowther Stakes, Paddy Twomey (Big Negotiator), Ger Lyons (Livenka) and Joseph O’Brien (Star Of State) will all be represented, with the latter, a recent Leopardstown maiden winner, likely to head the market.

Recent Group 1 Phoenix Stakes winner at The Curragh, Sun Goddess,  £120,000 purchase at the Goffs UK premier yearling sale, qualifies to run in the Harry’s Half Million By Goffs at 2.25pm. If she has come out of the Phoenix Stakes well, she should be very difficult to beat in this race. The other Irish contender here is the Donnacha O’Brien-prepared Where Love Lies.

Both Paddy Twomey and Joseph O’Brien have runners in the listed fillies and mares race at 4.10pm. The 97-rated Perfect Your Craft represents the former, while the Carriganóg handler will saddle the consistent, and 98-rated, Vauntingly. Ryan Moore takes the ride aboard Morrophore for John and Thady Gosden and will start the race as favourite.

Irish-trained runners at York on Thursday, 20 August 2026:

1.50 Sky Bet Lowther Stakes (Fillies’ Group 2)

Big Negotiator (GB) P Twomey
Livenka (GB) G M Lyons
Star Of State (IRE) Joseph Patrick O’Brien

2.25 Harry’s Half Million By Goffs (GBB Race)

Where Love Lives (IRE) Donnacha Aidan O’Brien
Sun Goddess (IRE) A P O’Brien

3.35 Legends Global Yorkshire Oaks (Fillies’ And Mares’ Group 1)

Minnie Hauk (IRE) A P O’Brien
Johanna Walsh (IRE) Joseph Patrick O’Brien
Sparan Nua (IRE) J S Bolger
Sugar Island (IRE) A P O’Brien

4.10 British EBF & Sir Henry Cecil Galtres Stakes (Fillies’ And Mares’ Listed) (GBBPlus Race)

Perfect Your Craft (IRE) P Twomey
Vauntingly (IRE) Joseph Patrick O’Brien

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Trained by William Haggas, Maltese Cross was second to Christmas Day in the Betfred Derby at Epsom in June, on ground that did not suit him.

This afternoon, with underfoot conditions more to his liking, the Sea The Stars colt beat Pierre Bonnard (100/30), third in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby in June, and his conqueror at Epsom, Christmas Day (6/4 favourite), by two lengths and two-and-a-quarter lengths respectively.

The winner, ridden by Tom Marquand, made smooth progress three furlongs from home, and then challenged the race leader, Christmas Day, the mount of Ryan Moore.

Pierre Bonnard was soon pushed to lead at the two-furlong pole by Wayne Lordan, as the race favourite, Christmas Day, began to weaken.

The George Waud-owned Maltese Cross was staying on best of the field inside the final furlong to run out a decisive winner, to add to his Group 1 Cygames Grand Prix de Paris success of last month.

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The afternoon’s highlight will be the Group 1 Juddmonte International Stakes at 3.35pm when the generations will clash over a mile 2 furlongs and 56 yards.

Constitution River, winner of the French Derby and representing the classic generation, will put his 2026 unbeaten record on the line when he meets the five-year-old Ombudsman, winner of this race last year.

The John and Thady Gosden-trained Godolphin owned is unbeaten in his three runs this season and will be the mount of William Buick.

Ryan Moore will be aboard the Coral-Eclipse-winning son of Wootton Bassett, Constitution River, and he will represent the Coolmore partners.

Item, in the colours of the race sponsors, comes from the Andrew Balding yard and will be the mount of Colin Keane, as he bids to step up in grade from his win in the Group 2 Sky Bet York Stakes here last month.

The Wayne Lordan-ridden Hawk Mountain, who was third and runner-up respectively to Constitution River in his two most recent starts, is likely to be involved in the business end of the nine-runner contest.

With the main protagonists, Ombudsman and Constitution River, having their own respective pacemakers in Devil’s Advocate (Rab Havlin) and Action (Ronan Whelan), the pace is likely to be strong. Though the three-year-old Constitution River will receive seven pounds from his main rival, Ombudsman, the latter has an official rating of 132, which is well ahead of the rest of the field, and the previous course and distance winner is likely to be very difficult to beat.

Haffner to get back to winning ways?

Elsewhere on the card, both Aidan O’Brien and Paddy Twomey will be represented in the Group 3 Tattersalls Acomb Stakes at 2.25pm. Haffner, the choice of Ryan Moore, was beaten in the Group 2 Coral Vintage Stakes at Goodwood last time, and connections will be hopeful of getting back to winning ways.

Paddy Twomey’s Tréan won his maiden at Galway’s Summer Festival and takes the leap into group company for the Red Lily Racing Syndicate.

Derby horses to clash again in Great Voltigeur

The 2026 Betfred Derby winner at Epsom, Christmas Day, runs in the Group 3 Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes at 3.00pm.

Beaten since in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at The Curragh, when runner-up, he will clash with Maltese Falcon again, the William Haggas-trained son of Sea The Stars, who was two-and-three-quarter lengths behind Christmas Day and Ronan Whelan at Epsom. Pierre Bonnard, who finished only a neck behind Christmas Day at The Curragh, should help make this another intriguing race.

Irish-trained runners at York Racecourse on Wednesday, 19 August 2026:

2.25 Tattersalls Acomb Stakes (Group 3)

Confucius (IRE) A P O’Brien
Haffner (USA) A P O’Brien
Tréan (IRE) P Twomey

3.00 Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes (Group 2)

Christmas Day (IRE) A P O’Brien
Antigua (IRE) A P O’Brien
Pierre Bonnard (IRE) A P O’Brien

3.35 Juddmonte International Stakes (Group 1)

Action (IRE) A P O’Brien
Constitution River (FR) A P O’Brien
Hawk Mountain (IRE) A P O’Brien

4.10 Sky Bet Stayers Handicap (Heritage Handicap) (GBBPlus Race)

Small Fry (IRE) Joseph O’Brien 
Mordor (FR) Gordon Elliott 
Westminster Moon (IRE) A J Martin

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Isaac Newton (10/1) won the Bahrain Turf Club Desmond Stakes, part of an Aidan O’Brien-trained double, and the first part of a Ryan Moore double.

A three-year-old son of Camelot, the bay, who won a Listed race over one mile and one furlong at Navan in June, ran out a one-and-a-quarter length winner in the Group 3 contest.

The runner-up Needle Match (13/2), prepared in England by William Haggas, had the assistance of Tom Marquand in the saddle, while the other cross-channel horse, Audience, trained in England by Fermoy, Co Cork-born David O’Meara (13/2), was the same distance again back in third for Colin Keane.

A big price for one riden by Ryan Moore and trained by Aidan O’Brien…

Isaac Newton strikes at 10/1 in the Group 3 @BahrainTurfClub Desmond Stakes at @LeopardstownRC pic.twitter.com/esWl8mFLGM

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 6, 2026

Sparán Nua, the 6/4 favourite following a third place finish recently behind the impressive Johanna Walsh in the Juddmonte Irish Oaks at The Curragh, was a half-length back in fourth for Declan McDonagh and Jim Bolger.

Ethical Diamond brings up Ryan Moore double

Ryan Moore completed a Group 3 double with the victory of Ethical Diamond in the Ballyroan Stakes. The Willie Mullins-trained six-year-old had disappointed in June in the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot, and prior to that had been fifth behind Calandagan at Meydan.

Ethical Diamond an 11/10 favourite this evening had only a short-head to spare over Jessica Harrington’s Green Impact (9/2), the mount of Shane Foley. Gaucher, also from Mullins’ Closutton base, who had been prominent throughout the 1m 4 furlong contest, claimed third spot for jockey Declan McDonagh, a length behind the Marcstown Farms SC runner-up Green Impact.

Though the victory gives Ethical Diamond an automatic ballot exemption for the Caulfield Cup in Melbourne later in the year, the winning handler confirmed that his immediate aim for Ethical Diamond is a $1m race at Kentucky Downs in September.

Back to winning ways!

Ethical Diamond strikes for the first time since @BreedersCup glory with victory in the Group 3 Ballyroan Stakes for Ryan Moore and Willie Mullins @LeopardstownRC pic.twitter.com/wBcdAmJkry

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 6, 2026

1m guineas colt Wall Street wins on debut

Wall Street (7/1), a one million guineas Sea The Stars colt, won the opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF (C&G) Maiden.

The British-bred juvenile, carrying the colours of Derrick Smith and trained at Ballydoyle by Aidan O’Brien, was the stable’s second choice on jockey bookings, as Ryan Moore opted to ride the Wootton Bassett colt, Drumbeat, a sixth-place finisher on debut at The Curragh last month.

Wall Street was a half-length winner at the line over the Joseph O’Brien-prepared Jesus Green (9/1) and Dylan Browne McMonagle, with Drumbeat and Ryan Moore running on well for third place at 100/30 – the Barronstown Stud-bred colt was a half-length behind the runner-up.

1,000,000gns buy Wall Street (Sea The Stars) overcomes a tardy start to strike on debut and looks another exciting one to reckon with for Aidan O’Brien and Ballydoyle @LeopardstownRC | @waynemlordan pic.twitter.com/HQu31VTRyb

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 6, 2026

Oliver and Hughes in winner’s enclosure

Andy Oliver’s Hard Promises (5/4 favourite) lost his maiden tag after two third-place finishes, the most recent being behind South Island at Navan on 11 July. This evening, the Ben Coen-ridden chestnut stretched clear inside the final furlong for a two-and-three-quarter length victory over the eye-catching Dermot Weld-handled Handani (7/2), who hadn’t run since finishing runner-up on his racecourse debut at Naas on 11 October last. Let’s Smash It (10/1) was a length-and-a-quarter further back in third place for Robson De Aguiar and Donogh O’Connor.

Launch Time (7/2) gave Dublin-based trainer Cian Hughes a winner in The Carnival de Leop Handicap. The 0-60 rated race saw the four-year-old bay gelded son of Time Test (15/2), in the hands of Colin Keane, come home half-a-length ahead of Jazzitt (15/2) and Sadhbh Tormey. Draíocht (18/1) and Wayne Lordan were a neck further back in third.

Third win of season for Bella Colombia

Bella Colombia (6/1) won for the third time this season when giving Wille McCreery and Sam Coen a win in the Renault Ireland Handicap over 1 mile 1 furlong. The five-year-old just had a head advantage over Michael O’Callaghan’s Darkdeserthighway, the 9/2 favourite for Dylan Browne McMonagle. The top weight, Tachos (11/2), with Paddy Harnett taking five pounds off the Gleneagles filly, was third.

The finale, the Fegentri World Championship (Q.R.) Handicap over one mile and seven furlongs, went to 7/4 favourite, Boxing Great, in the hands of Paul Cawley for Dublin-based trainer Karl Thornton.

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It was an 18th success in the premier Irish classic for Aidan O’Brien, who also trained the runner-up and third placed horse.

The winner, who was declared a non-runner in the Betfred Epsom Derby at the beginning of the month, ran out a one-and-three-quarter length winner over the Epsom victor, Christmas Day (4/1), who, as in the English classic, was ridden by Ronan Whelan.

Pierre Bonnard (9/1), in the hands of Wayne Lordan, came home third, a neck behind the runner-up.

”If there was any weakness in his armour, it was going to be exposed.”

The master of @Ballydoyle reveals he was by no means convinced that Benvenuto Cellini had a Derby-winning performance in him after what happened at Epsom. pic.twitter.com/qobUubcqMs

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) June 28, 2026

In ensured a 1-2-3 for owners Coolmore who were responsible for four of the runners in the eight-horse field.

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A son of Coolmore stallion Camelot, Christmas Day (7/1) was a two-and-three-quarter length winner over the Tom Marquand-ridden Maltese Cross (12/1).

James J Braddock, the mount of Dylan Browne McMonagle, took third for trainer Joseph O’Brien, two-and-a-half lengths behind the William Haggas-handled runner-up.

The victory of Christmas Day, in the Coolmore colours, was a 12th win in the race for Aidan O’Brien, who becomes the first trainer to win the race four years in-a-row following the successes of Lambourn (2025), City Of Troy (2024) and Auguste Rodin (2023).

It is also a 50th British classic win for the County Wexford-born handler – his first coming with King Of Kings in the 1998 2000 Guineas at Newmarket.

"The stars aligned."

Ronan Whelan's Christmases have come early ,… pic.twitter.com/DgfFrwDhb3

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) June 6, 2026

The pre-race favourite Benvenuto Cellini, the mount of Ryan Moore, was declared a non-runner after a stewards’ inquiry post-race. The son of Frankel had one leg caught on a bar in the stalls as the race began. As a result, stewards deemed that he was denied a chance of winning and declared him a non-runner.

"Things don't happen perfectly for every horse in the race."

Aidan O'Brien, now with 12 Derby wins beneath the bonnet after Christmas Day revelled in the Epsom rain, dissects a dramatic renewal of the premier Classic pic.twitter.com/aJLhUDp2fM

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) June 6, 2026

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