Easter Weekend: Curragh and Musselburgh Host 2YO Races with Pedigree Preview

The juvenile racing programme brightens over the Easter Weekend, with important two-year-old action in Ireland and Britain. Filmogaz.com examines the key runners, connections and bloodlines set to feature at the Curragh, Musselburgh and Bath.

Curragh: Aidan O’Brien’s early team

Aidan O’Brien is set to introduce his first two-year-olds of 2026 in the five-furlong maiden at the Curragh. That race has previously produced winners such as Meditate and Porta Fortuna.

Two newcomers head the market for Ballydoyle. Ryan Moore is likely to ride New Yorker. The colt is by No Nay Never and is out of Fairyland, a Cheveley Park Stakes winner who started fast over six furlongs.

• New Yorker — No Nay Never colt. Dam: Fairyland. Family includes Dream Ahead and Land of Dreams.
• Confucius — another No Nay Never colt. Dam: Millisle, Jessica Harrington’s Cheveley Park winner. Reported auction price: 1.7m guineas.

Robson de Aguiar runs a couple of juveniles after promising early runs at Naas and Doncaster. Edward Thatch is the A-string and will be ridden by David Egan. He is by first-season sire Blackbeard, who recently registered a first winner in France.

• Edward Thatch — sold for €70,000 as a yearling. From a Coolmore branch connected to Aloft and Dietrich.
• New Mexico — first foal by first-season sire Perfect Power. Bought privately for 105,000gns.

Michael Mulvaney’s Lars Soldier arrives with one piece of race experience. He finished fourth in the opening two-year-old event at Naas after staying on for much of the race. His run should give him a fitness edge.

Other Curragh newcomers to note

• Two Brigade — trained by Michael O’Callaghan. An Invincible Army half-brother to Catch Cunningham.
• Santorini Storm — trained by Johnny Murtagh. A Soldier’s Call colt related to World of Darcy.

Musselburgh restricted maiden

The Musselburgh restricted maiden on Saturday looks less deep on paper. Still, there are several interesting first-timers and lightly-raced types.

• The Kalonji Man — Richard Hannon runner. Seeks improvement after the Brocklesby.
• Tricky Jenny — James Owen’s first two-year-old. An Ardad filly from the family of Indian Creek.
• Super Alpha — Charlie Johnston’s Bated Breath colt. From a Juddmonte branch that tends to produce early sorts.
• Adonius — Rebecca Menzies-trained Soldier’s Call colt. Bought for £32,000 and half-brother to Golden Paradise.

Menzies has backed a stronger juvenile team this season. Adonius makes appeal as a horse bred to show early speed.

Bath novice: several yards represented

The Bath juvenile novice on Sunday is expected to be competitive. Several well-known trainers have entered promising newcomers.

• Paper View — Richard Hannon’s Lucky Vega colt. Half-brother to Artistic Rifles and Balty Boys.
• Rollthedicebaby — Hannon’s Soldier’s Call filly. From a sprinting family including Kachy and Chil Chil.
• Sky Secret — Clive Cox’s A’Ali colt. Dam from the ‘Swiss’ sprinting line; grandam Swiss Lake won at Bath in 2002.
• Taranis — Eve Johnson Houghton’s entry. A 13,000gns purchase connected to Laulne and Purr Along.
• Wait Geordie — Hugo Palmer’s Mehmas colt. Yearling price £50,000. First foal of Miss Jingles, a sibling to Mischief Making.

George Boughey may send Dowman, a Sioux Nation colt. He comes from an old Pendley/Harris line. Names in the family include Leporello and Stotsfold.

• Mystical Magical — a Starman filly from a dependable family.
• Postcard — Earthlight filly. Related to Gilt Edge Girl and Godfrey Street.
• Devon Angel — Rod Millman’s £16,000 Ubettabelieveit filly. Bred from a precocious juvenile line.

Outlook and angles

The weekend’s meetings provide a useful pedigree preview of early-season juvenile talent. Several runners are bred to be precocious and could shape the sprinting ranks this summer.

Filmogaz.com will monitor declarations and betting moves. These races are worth watching for clues about later pattern performers and sharp juvenile types.