Sun Goddess stormed from the back of the field to claim Aidan O'Brien’s 18th triumph in the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh, delivering a performance that will be remembered for its dramatic finish and the promise it shows for the future. The Group One race, a showcase for the best two‑year‑old thoroughbreds, has a storied history that includes winners such as Johannesburg (2001), George Washington (2005), Holy Roman Emperor (2006) and Caravaggio (2016). Sun Goddess entered the contest as the 5‑4 favourite, carrying the hopes of her connections and the expectations of a racing public eager for another O’Brien classic. The filly is a daughter of Sioux Nation, the same sire who produced a Phoenix Stakes winner for O’Brien in 2017, and she had already demonstrated her class over the same course and distance in her two previous starts.
After a promising maiden win at Naas, she traveled to Royal Ascot where she finished a close second to George Boughey’s Libertango in the Albany Stakes, confirming that she could hold her own against top‑level competition. Her most recent prep was a Group Two victory, a win that cemented her status as a leading contender and set the stage for the Curragh showdown. When the race began, stablemate Carry The Flag set a blistering early tempo, forcing the field to race at a fast clip. Ryan Moore, aboard Sun Goddess, elected to settle his mount at the rear, allowing her to conserve energy while the leaders burned through the early fractions.
As the field rounded the final two furlongs, Moore guided Sun Goddess to the inside rail, where she unleashed a powerful turn of foot. She surged past the tiring front‑runners, pulling clear in the closing stages and crossing the finish line a length and a quarter ahead of the runner‑up, Folsom Blues. After the race, O’Brien praised the filly, calling her "a beautiful filly" and noting her consistency across a variety of tracks.
He recalled her maiden win at Naas, her solid performance at Ascot, and her ability to rebound quickly after a demanding trip to England. "She ran well at Naas the first day then came back here to win her maiden and then she went to Ascot probably a little under par, with the benefit of hindsight," O’Brien said. "Then she came back here a week after and won even though she was in Ascot the week before. She's obviously very special and everything went really well since Ascot." The trainer also highlighted Sun Goddess’s versatility, saying she possesses "a lot of gears and a very high cruising pace." He explained that Moore felt the filly was cruising comfortably when he asked for acceleration, and that she would have no trouble extending her effort to seven furlongs.
"She's very exciting," O’Brien added, hinting at the possibility of stepping her up in distance as she matures. In the same meeting, Big Mojo capitalised on a lowered weight to secure a victory in the FBD Hotels & Resorts Phoenix Sprint Stakes. Mick Appleby’s four‑year‑old colt, who had shown top‑class form the previous season by winning the Sprint Cup at Haydock and finishing a close second to No Half Measures in the July Cup at Newmarket, had endured a disappointing start to the year with off‑the‑pace finishes at York, Royal Ascot and a second attempt at the July Cup.
The Irish run, however, proved a turning point. Under Tom Marquand, Big Mojo delivered a decisive one‑and‑a‑quarter‑length win over Bucanero Fuerte, reaffirming his sprinting credentials.
Appleby, who celebrated his first Irish winner, spoke about the colt’s renewed confidence. "We brought him here just to give him a bit more confidence, really. I think he was just lacking a bit in confidence with the big races he's run in. Now that he's got his head back in front hopefully he'll go and do it again.
He's as good as ever. He's just got a bit more laid‑back, like me!" The trainer added that a return to Haydock and a potential Breeders’ Cup appearance are on the horizon for the sprinter. Meanwhile, Michael O’Callaghan expressed optimism about Push The Boat Out after a commanding debut in the Irish EBF Maiden at Guidenstown.
Despite starting at 16‑1, the Kodi Bear‑bred colt, ridden by Colin Keane, accelerated smoothly to take a comfortable win, confirming the trainer’s belief in his ability. O’Callaghan noted that the horse had been slightly under‑cooked but showed natural speed and a willingness to travel, qualities that could see him step up to stakes company.
"I don’t think he’ll have any problem going another furlong and I think he could be a high‑class stakes horse," O’Callaghan said, indicating that the colt may be aimed at the National Stakes later in the season. Aidan O’Brien also celebrated another success with Ibelieveicanfly, the 13‑8 favourite who finally broke her maiden in her fourth start in the Grand Hotel Malahide Irish EBF Fillies Juvenile Race.
The Frankel‑daughter, previously placed in her first three outings, was equipped with a hood for the race and delivered a five‑length victory under Ryan Moore. O’Brien praised her high cruising speed, saying that the better the race, the better she would become, and noted that she was operating in a gear that was perhaps too high for a typical maiden race.
In the same meeting, O’Brien and Moore teamed up again in the Guidenstown Stud Irish European Breeders’ Fund Maiden, where they guided 8‑15 favourite Shakespeare, a Dubawi son, to a comfortable win. Shakespeare had shown promise with placed efforts in his first two starts, and his victory marked his third attempt at a win. O’Brien described the colt as a "lovely big horse who does everything right," adding that the youngster still has room to grow and could become a "could be anything" type of performer, possessing size, power, speed and stamina.
Overall, the day at the Curragh highlighted the depth of talent in the O’Brien stable and underscored the importance of careful placement and confidence building for young horses. Sun Goddess’s stunning comeback win, Big Mojo’s resurgence, and the promising debuts of Push The Boat Out, Ibelieveicanfly and Shakespeare all point to a bright future for these thoroughbreds as they progress into the next phases of their careers. The racing community will be watching closely, anticipating further Group One successes and perhaps even international campaigns for these emerging stars.