Guineas Festival at the Curragh

Curragh, Friday 20 May: The Guineas Festival at the Curragh begins today with an eight-race card around the Group 3 Gallinule Stakes (3rd race/6.25pm/60,000 euros/2010m). Four of the eight three-year-olds saddle Aidan and Joseph O`Brien.

Hannibal Barca (Shane Crosse) has left Brian Meehan`s quarters and is trying to build on last year`s good performances. He finished fourth in the Futurity Trophy Stakes (Group 1) on his last start. Seisai (Declan McDonogh), who comes from the same stable, was a pleasing second at Gowran Park just over a fortnight ago. Anchorage (Ryan Moore) showed a good start last year, but like his training companion Sussex (Wayne Lordan), has not yet made an appearance at the higher level. Boundless Ocean (Kevin Manning) is having an easier time of it after his unsuccessful performance in the English 2000 Guineas and is highly rated by the trade press. Global Energy (Gary Carroll), Manbehindthemoney (Ronan Whelan) and Lyrical Poetry (Ben Coen) have already won in smaller tests this year.