Smiling Eliza at The Curragh on Irish Derby Weekend
This was quite a coup for the club to get a runner on Derby weekend at The Curragh and everybody wanted to go. There were only 7 tickets available and names had to be drawn. I was a bit disappointed with this because I haven't been to the races for 3 months and I had my name in third for a ticket but being involved with a horse running at the home of flat horse racing doesn't come round very often and there was a high demand. I decided to go anyway and convinced my wife, Emma to come as well. We were going to bring our 3 year old son Arlo with us too but the weather has been crazy warm and the guts of 3 hours in a car through Friday evening Dublin rush hour just to get there wouldn't have been fair on him. Emma thought the fashion guide on the website was hilarious. Read their advice here. These summer evening meetings were one of the things I had in mind when I bought the membership way back in the worst winter for decades.
Now, we are in the best summer in 40 years. The Curragh is in the middle of renovation so the main stand was closed for rebuilding and there's only one other stand at an angle behind the finish line but the setting is absolutely stunning. The main road from Dublin to Cork runs alongside it so I've passed this area many times on the way to various parts of the very south of Ireland but I'd never been to the races. My brother works nearby in The K Club and we've stayed there a few times so when Smiling Eliza was declared on Thursday I told him I was going to The Curragh for the races and I asked him if there were any deals going for Friday night but he replied "Booked out. Dubai Duty Free weekend". It didn't dawn on me until later that Dubai Duty Free sponsor The Irish Derby so we were both talking about the same thing without realising. As soon as we arrived it was clear this was completely different to what we'd experienced at Dundalk, Fairyhouse and Down Royal. We parked the car, changed out of our journey clothes into something a bit more along the lines of what the fashion guide stated and began the walk towards where we thought the entrance was. A man in a golf cart pulled up beside us and gave us a lift. It was only about a hundred yards but still it was a nice touch and it won the wife over straight away. When we got in, we had to walk past the Weighing Room where Aidan O'Brien was outside giving instructions to his top jockey, Ryan Moore. Moore went on to ride a treble on the night but lost the big one on the Saturday to Aidan O'Brien's son Joseph's horse, Latrobe. When we got in to the main area, it was as splendid as I thought it would be. There's a big VIP area on the right with executive boxes above bars and restaurants then there's a general bar/food tent, turn left and you sweep down a path that crosses a road which the horses and jockeys come up to the main parade ring. Further down is the betting ring which is really a line of bookies on either side with more food and drink areas at the back of the only open stand. Above all of this is an old tower flanked by the bistro, grassy areas with nice patio style wicker furniture and even a kids play park. Down the side of the stand is the course itself set on acres of mainly flat ground that goes up and round and back down at one end like the shape of a small boat. In Irish these boats are called An Currach - The Curragh of Kildare.
Smiling Eliza is our most in form horse at the minute and the proof of this was that she was declared for this race. As I didn't get a ticket from the club for this, I wasn't sure if I could get into the ring but I was going to try anyway. We stood by the parade ring but then noticed there was another smaller ring behind us that the horses walked round first. We went over there to get an initial look at Eliza. She eventually came out but was immediately moved by her lad into one of the boxes around the circumference. Another man joined them and I thought he must be a vet and she was going to be a non runner like Fairy Flute at Wolverhampton. All the way down here and no main event! As the other horses walked round and then moved up the road to the main parade ring, Eliza was kept in this box. Eventually the other man disappeared and she was moved up to another box near the end of the row. I moved down to the end of the rails and asked the steward if he knew what was going on. I got speaking to another couple of people from the club who were as confused as I was then lad and horse moved towards the gate to go up to the main parade ring. Meanwhile her odds went from 20s to 33s so the bookies must have got word of something being up. By this stage the entrance to the parade ring was closed as Eliza joined the other horses and the jockeys made there way up to the owners and trainers along the crossroad. We were left looking in from the outside. Not sure what it was all about but he was maybe told to keep her out of the sun as long as possible. Again, I asked the question on the app but didn't get an answer. So with Gary Halpin on board and carrying the bottom weight, after an uncertain build up she was out on the course and away over to the motorway side of the course for the start. Eventually all the horses were loaded and set off on the 1m 4f. Halpin had her mid division most of the way round. We stood at the finish post and could see the heads of the jockeys in the distance until they fully emerged coming down the hill before the final bend into the straight then it's a steady incline up to where we were at the finish. Eliza had a clear run on the stand side and when her jockey asked her to go it took her a while to fire but she got herself up to 4th and then was attacking for the places. As I was watching them come towards me I was hoping she would be up with the front 2 but it was soon clear she was in a race for 3rd she carried on right up to the line and was only beaten by a neck. It was a thrilling run and most bookies paid out 4 places in the race at 33/1 which was still a few pound for anyone who bet on her each way. I didn't even try to get into the paddock after to hear the thoughts of Gary but I'm sure he was pleased. Alex said after that it was a very competitive race and she did herself proud. As a reward for her efforts, Eliza got a day out in the field eating grass with the sun on her back. All and all it was a very enjoyable evening at The Curragh. It's a fair old trek up and down from there but as you can probably tell from how much I've written it was the best racing experience I've had with the club so far. Still looking for that elusive winner I get to witness live with all the celebrations and ceremony that comes with that. Just over half way through the year now, a couple more months of flat and then back to the jumps.
Now, we are in the best summer in 40 years. The Curragh is in the middle of renovation so the main stand was closed for rebuilding and there's only one other stand at an angle behind the finish line but the setting is absolutely stunning. The main road from Dublin to Cork runs alongside it so I've passed this area many times on the way to various parts of the very south of Ireland but I'd never been to the races. My brother works nearby in The K Club and we've stayed there a few times so when Smiling Eliza was declared on Thursday I told him I was going to The Curragh for the races and I asked him if there were any deals going for Friday night but he replied "Booked out. Dubai Duty Free weekend". It didn't dawn on me until later that Dubai Duty Free sponsor The Irish Derby so we were both talking about the same thing without realising. As soon as we arrived it was clear this was completely different to what we'd experienced at Dundalk, Fairyhouse and Down Royal. We parked the car, changed out of our journey clothes into something a bit more along the lines of what the fashion guide stated and began the walk towards where we thought the entrance was. A man in a golf cart pulled up beside us and gave us a lift. It was only about a hundred yards but still it was a nice touch and it won the wife over straight away. When we got in, we had to walk past the Weighing Room where Aidan O'Brien was outside giving instructions to his top jockey, Ryan Moore. Moore went on to ride a treble on the night but lost the big one on the Saturday to Aidan O'Brien's son Joseph's horse, Latrobe. When we got in to the main area, it was as splendid as I thought it would be. There's a big VIP area on the right with executive boxes above bars and restaurants then there's a general bar/food tent, turn left and you sweep down a path that crosses a road which the horses and jockeys come up to the main parade ring. Further down is the betting ring which is really a line of bookies on either side with more food and drink areas at the back of the only open stand. Above all of this is an old tower flanked by the bistro, grassy areas with nice patio style wicker furniture and even a kids play park. Down the side of the stand is the course itself set on acres of mainly flat ground that goes up and round and back down at one end like the shape of a small boat. In Irish these boats are called An Currach - The Curragh of Kildare.
Smiling Eliza is our most in form horse at the minute and the proof of this was that she was declared for this race. As I didn't get a ticket from the club for this, I wasn't sure if I could get into the ring but I was going to try anyway. We stood by the parade ring but then noticed there was another smaller ring behind us that the horses walked round first. We went over there to get an initial look at Eliza. She eventually came out but was immediately moved by her lad into one of the boxes around the circumference. Another man joined them and I thought he must be a vet and she was going to be a non runner like Fairy Flute at Wolverhampton. All the way down here and no main event! As the other horses walked round and then moved up the road to the main parade ring, Eliza was kept in this box. Eventually the other man disappeared and she was moved up to another box near the end of the row. I moved down to the end of the rails and asked the steward if he knew what was going on. I got speaking to another couple of people from the club who were as confused as I was then lad and horse moved towards the gate to go up to the main parade ring. Meanwhile her odds went from 20s to 33s so the bookies must have got word of something being up. By this stage the entrance to the parade ring was closed as Eliza joined the other horses and the jockeys made there way up to the owners and trainers along the crossroad. We were left looking in from the outside. Not sure what it was all about but he was maybe told to keep her out of the sun as long as possible. Again, I asked the question on the app but didn't get an answer. So with Gary Halpin on board and carrying the bottom weight, after an uncertain build up she was out on the course and away over to the motorway side of the course for the start. Eventually all the horses were loaded and set off on the 1m 4f. Halpin had her mid division most of the way round. We stood at the finish post and could see the heads of the jockeys in the distance until they fully emerged coming down the hill before the final bend into the straight then it's a steady incline up to where we were at the finish. Eliza had a clear run on the stand side and when her jockey asked her to go it took her a while to fire but she got herself up to 4th and then was attacking for the places. As I was watching them come towards me I was hoping she would be up with the front 2 but it was soon clear she was in a race for 3rd she carried on right up to the line and was only beaten by a neck. It was a thrilling run and most bookies paid out 4 places in the race at 33/1 which was still a few pound for anyone who bet on her each way. I didn't even try to get into the paddock after to hear the thoughts of Gary but I'm sure he was pleased. Alex said after that it was a very competitive race and she did herself proud. As a reward for her efforts, Eliza got a day out in the field eating grass with the sun on her back. All and all it was a very enjoyable evening at The Curragh. It's a fair old trek up and down from there but as you can probably tell from how much I've written it was the best racing experience I've had with the club so far. Still looking for that elusive winner I get to witness live with all the celebrations and ceremony that comes with that. Just over half way through the year now, a couple more months of flat and then back to the jumps.
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