Sunday marks the running of the first Group 1 race for European juveniles for season 2021 the Phoenix Stakes held at The Curragh over 6f. The race as kick started the careers of many top line horses as well as future stallions, time to breakdown the field for this years edition of the time honoured event.

Key Stats and trends since the year 2000

•Aiden O’Brien has trained 14 of the last 20 winners

•Only 3 fillies have been successful since 2000

•8 winners since 2000 had contested the Group 2 Railway Stakes at there previous start

•9 winners had competed at Royal Ascot

•15 of the last 20 winners had previous race experience at The Curragh.

•only 1 winner trained outside of Ireland

Keenland Phoenix Stakes

Group 1

The Curragh

€300,000

6f / 1200m

Colts and Fillies

1.Agres (Fast Company - Avenue Montaigne)

T. John Joseph Murphy

J. Robbie Colgan

Still a Maidener after 7 starts and has already raced twice this week, faces an all mighty task in this. 100/1

2.Castle Star (Starspangledbanner - Awohaam)

T. J A Stack

J. Chris Hayes

One of the leading chances for this , having finished no worse than second in his 5 start career, both of his wins have come here at The Curragh and were at Group 3 and Listed level. 3/1

3.Dr Zemph (Dark Angel - Souvenir Delondres)

T. Ger Lyons

J. -

An impressive course and distance winner on debut 2 months ago, was 4th Beaten 2.5 lengths n the Group 2 Railway Stakes in his second and most recent run. Improvement needed to turn the tables on the first 2 home that day. 3/1

4.Ebro River (Galileo Gold - Soft Power)

T. Hugo Palmer

J.Shane Foley

English raider who has been kept busy since winning the Listed National Stakes at Sandown in late May , since then he has competed with merit at Group 2 level at , Royal Ascot, Newmarket and Goodwood against the best 2yos Britain has to offer. Not the worst. 16/1

5.Go Bears Go (Kodi Bear - In Dubai)

T. David Loughnane

J. -

Race favourite and rightfully so, a winner on debut before just being denied by a head in the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot , Turned that around with his first visit to Ireland when he landed the Group 2 Railway Stakes here last start. Sets the standard and will be very hard to beat. 2/1

6.Strapped (Dawn Approach - Strapless)

T. Jim Bolger

J. Kevin Manning

A winner of 1 from his 4 career starts, was well held here last time when only beating one horse home in the Railway, but you never count out a Jim Bolger runner. 33/1

7.The Entertainer (Caravaggio - Cape Joy)

T. Aiden O’Brien

J. -

has failed to go on with the job since winning debut at Navan, however is trained by a master who has won this 16 times. Including with this colts sire back in 2016. 25/1

8.Twilight Jet (Twilight Son - My Lucky Liz)

T. Michael O’Callaghan

J. Leigh Roche

Mixes his form. Just the one win from 5 attempts, wasn’t far away at all when 7th of 15 in the Norfolk at Royal Ascot. Place chance he things go his way. 20/1

9.Prettiest (Dubawi - Alice Springs)

T. Aiden O’Brien

J. -

The lone filly in this years race, beautifully bred first foal from triple Group 1 winner. Drops back in distance after being beaten favourite over 7f in a group 3 at Leopardstown, it was hard to make ground from off the pace that day however and she can atone. 12/1

Selections 5 to win, 2,4,9 to battle out the minor places