Together Now breaks maiden at the Curragh
Together Now opened her account at the Curragh when prevailing in the Bill Hanlon Memorial Fillies Maiden, providing Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore with a routine success on the card.
The filly, rated 84 and sent off the 1/5 favourite, was always prominent and quickened clear in the closing stages to score by three and three-quarter lengths. Jessica Harrington’s Sounds Great filled second, with Gavin Cromwell’s Loosen And Limber finishing third, just a nose behind the runner-up.
Performance and prospects
Together Now had shown promise earlier in the season when running well on her seasonal reappearance at the same track, but failed to reproduce that form on her next outing at Killarney. Connections were encouraged by her latest display and indicated that she would now be aimed at opportunities to secure black-type before the end of the campaign.
Team members confirmed that the Curragh Finale Stakes is among the options under consideration, with the possibility of targeting races in England also being explored. The combination of her pedigree and the manner of this victory are behind the plan to look for a step up in class.
Context for festival and pattern racing
Maiden races at premier Irish venues such as the Curragh frequently highlight fillies with potential to progress to listed and pattern company later in the season. A decisive success by a well-bred, already-rated performer like Together Now places her on the radar for connections plotting a black-type campaign.
For racegoers and followers of the summer festival circuit, the result underlined the ongoing depth of juvenile and three-year-old fillies racing in Ireland. Trainers with established records in pattern races will keep a close eye on how Together Now is placed in the coming weeks.
Jockey and trainer
Ryan Moore took the ride on Together Now, executing a straightforward ride that allowed the filly to travel comfortably before finding plenty inside the final furlong. The success adds to a productive season for both jockey and stable as they manage a busy calendar at major fixtures across Ireland and Britain.
Aidan O’Brien’s operation regularly targets fillies at this level with a view to moving them forward into black-type engagements, and this result fits that familiar pattern of first securing confidence and a winning badge before stepping up in class.
What to watch next
- Whether Together Now is supplemented for the Curragh Finale Stakes later in the season.
- Possible targets in England where listed opportunities could present themselves.
- How the filly handles a step up to black-type company, if connections elect to progress her quickly.
Together Now’s win at the Curragh adds another name to the list of fillies to monitor through the summer and early autumn, as trainers and owners weigh up the best path to enhance her record and value with a suitable black-type placing.
This article may have been prepared in whole or in part with the assistance of artificial intelligence.
