Joseph O’Brien hopes high for Green Empress clash with Sun Goddess
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Thu 25 Jun 2026
Royal Ascot runner-up Sun Goddess makes a swift return to action in the Airlie Stud Stakes at the Curragh on Saturday.
Aidan O’Brien’s filly was odds-on for the Albany Stakes following a wide-margin victory at the home of Irish Flat racing last month, but found one too good in the shape of George Boughey’s Libertango.
She is sent back into action just eight days later for this Group Two assignment and will be a short price to regain winning ways under Ryan Moore.
Green Empress finished a five-length second to Sun Goddess in late May and takes her on again as one of two runners for Joseph O’Brien, who also saddles Listowel scorer Beibhinn.
“We really like Green Empress, we thought it was a really nice debut and it makes sense to try to get some black type at this stage of her career,” said the Owning Hill handler.
“Even though she was second, she probably ran to a good enough mark to win a lot of maidens that day, so I think she’s earned her spot in a Group race.
“Beibhinn won in Listowel. You’d probably like the form to be looking a little bit stronger, but you’d be very happy with how she won.
“We liked her on debut and again she looks like a black-type filly in the making.”
Paddy Twomey’s course winner Velozee is another turning out quickly after finishing down the field in the Queen Mary at the Royal meeting, with Donnacha O’Brien’s Navan victor Cleodolinda also in the mix.
Aidan O’Brien also saddles the hot favourite for the Group Three Jebel Ali Racecourse And Stables Anglesey Stakes in Confucius, who is another Ballydoyle inmate doing the Ascot-Curragh double having finished sixth as the market leader for the Coventry Stakes, which was won by his stablemate Great Barrier Reef.
The feature on the card is the Paddy Power Pretty Polly Stakes, in which Joseph O’Brien’s brilliant Oaks winner Thundering On clashes with British raider Estrange.
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