Sun Goddess surged from the back of the field to claim a spectacular win for Aidan O'Brien in the Group One Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh, marking the trainer’s 18th triumph in the prestigious race. The event, which has seen past champions such as Johannesburg (2001), George Washington (2005), Holy Roman Emperor (2006) and Caravaggio (2016), added another star to its roll of honour as Sun Goddess, starting at 5‑4 odds, delivered a performance that will be remembered for its dramatic finish and tactical brilliance.
The filly, a daughter of Sioux Nation—who herself captured the same title for the O’Brien stable in 2017—entered the race with an impressive résumé. She had already won both of her previous outings over the Curragh’s straight mile, including a Group Two victory that underscored her growing class. Between those two wins, she finished a close second to George Boughey’s Libertango in the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot, a result that hinted at her ability to compete at the highest level.
On race day, O’Brien’s stablemate Carry The Flag set a blistering early tempo, forcing the field to sprint ahead. Ryan Moore, aboard Sun Goddess, opted for patience, allowing the filly to settle toward the rear while the early leaders expended energy. As the field turned into the home straight, Moore guided Sun Goddess to the inside, where she found a clear lane. In the final two furlongs she accelerated with effortless grace, overtaking the leaders and pulling away to cross the line a length and a quarter ahead of the runner‑up, Folsom Blues.
After the race, O’Brien praised the filly, saying, “She’s a beautiful filly. She ran well at Naas on her first day, then came back here to win her maiden and subsequently travelled to Ascot where she was a little under‑par, in hindsight. Yet she returned a week later and still won, even after the Ascot trip. She’s clearly very special and everything has clicked since that race.” He added, “She has a lot of gears and a very high cruising pace.
Ryan told me they went fast and when he asked her she just motor‑cleared. She’ll have no problem over seven furlongs—she’s incredibly exciting.” The Phoenix Stakes win not only cemented Sun Goddess’s status as a top‑class juvenile but also highlighted O’Brien’s knack for spotting and nurturing talent. The trainer’s comment about the filly’s multiple “gears” suggests she possesses the rare ability to adjust her speed according to the race’s demands—a quality that often separates good horses from great ones. In related news from the same meeting, Big Mojo capitalised on a lowered weight to secure victory in the FBD Hotels & Resorts Phoenix Sprint Stakes.
Mick Appleby’s four‑year‑old colt, who impressed last season with a Sprint Cup win at Haydock and a narrow second to No Half Measures in the July Cup, had endured a difficult start to the year, finishing well back at York, Royal Ascot and in a second attempt at the July Cup. However, on the Curragh he found a more suitable race and displayed his class, winning by one and a quarter lengths over Bucanero Fuerte under Tom Marquand. Appleby, who celebrated his first Irish win, explained that the trip to Ireland was intended to rebuild the horse’s confidence: “He’s done it well.
We brought him here to give him a bit more confidence. He seemed to lack confidence after the big races.
Now that he’s back on top, I expect he’ll continue to perform. He’s as good as ever, just a bit more relaxed—like me! It’s tough to win these races, but there are many good sprinters out there, and he proved he belongs among them.” Another highlight of the day was Push The Boat Out, a 16‑1 outsider in the Irish EBF Maiden, who delivered a comfortable win for trainer Michael O’Callaghan.
The Kodi Bear colt, ridden by Colin Keane, accelerated sharply in the finishing stages, confirming the trainer’s belief that the horse had been slightly under‑cooked but possessed natural speed and stamina. O’Callaghan said, “We have always held him in high regard.
He showed natural pace and quickened well. Colin was impressed and believes he can step up into stakes company without difficulty. I think he can handle another furlong and could become a high‑class stakes horse.” Aidan O’Brien also celebrated a maiden victory with Ibelieveicanfly, a 13‑8 favourite who finally broke her duck in the Grand Hotel Malahide Irish EBF Fillies Juvenile Race. After three attempts—fourth, second and fourth—she was fitted with a hood for the fourth start and responded by winning decisively by five lengths under Ryan Moore.
O’Brien praised her high cruising speed, noting, “The better the race, the better she will be. She has a very high cruising pace and a lot of class. In a standard maiden race she runs a gear too high, but she has everything needed to excel.” The meeting also saw O’Brien and Moore double‑up in the Guidenstown Stud Irish European Breeders Fund Maiden with Shakespeare, an 8‑15 favourite by Dubawi. After two placed efforts on his first starts, Shakespeare finally succeeded on his third try, confirming the trainer’s assessment that the colt is a “big, lovely horse who does everything right.” O’Brien added, “He’s still a baby, which is why it took him a couple of runs to get there.
He has size, power, quality, speed and stamina—everything. He could be anything.” Overall, the Curragh day was a showcase of emerging talent and seasoned expertise. Sun Goddess’s come‑from‑behind triumph illustrated the importance of tactical patience and a horse’s innate ability to accelerate when it matters most.
Meanwhile, the performances of Big Mojo, Push The Boat Out, Ibelieveicanfly and Shakespeare underscored Aidan O’Brien’s depth of quality across his stable, as well as the value of giving horses the right conditions to thrive. Fans can look forward to Sun Goddess targeting longer distances, perhaps seven furlongs, while Big Mojo may return to Haydock and aim for the Breeders’ Cup. The future looks bright for these rising stars, and the racing community will be watching closely as they continue to develop their promising careers.