Jessica Harrington became the second trainer in two days to celebrate a first Classic success after Alpha Centauri won the Irish 1000 Guineas at the Curragh on Sunday.
On the previous day, Romanised provided Ken Condon with his first Classic success when winning the Irish 2000 Guineas under jockey Shane Foley.
O’Brien, chasing a record eighth Irish 1000 Guineas prize, had to settle for the minor placings with Could It Be Love under the trainer’s son Donnacha O'Brien and Happy with Ryan Moore atop, finishing second and third respectively.
Godolphin bidding for their first success in the race with Soliloquy could finish only fourth in the 13-runner field.
Harrington said Alpha Centuari’s triumph was on a par with her Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Sizing John in March last year.
“It's a fantastic result, our first Classic win having been placed in a few of them,” she said in her post-race television interview.
“Today was the first time since she ran second in the Albany at Royal Ascot that she got fast ground and that seems to be the key to her. We'll let the dust settle but I'd imagine she'll go for the Coronation Stakes next.”
Winning jockey Colm O’Donoghue rode a patient race. He stayed in the middle of the pack as Could It Be Love, one of four O’Brien entries, blazed in front with William Buick on board Soliloquy heading the chasing pack.
O’Donoghou pushed along the Mastercraftsman filly from fourth to chase the leaders as they approached the 400-metre mark before moving to second and finishing strongly to win by a length and-a-half from Could It Be Love.
Alpha Centauri was a runner-up in the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot last year but she was well beaten on her seasonal return at Leopardstown in April.
“She ran here in the Moyglare on soft to heavy and her first run this year was on soft to heavy ground. She’s a big, big filly and she just can’t pull herself out of the heavy ground," Harrington added/
“She’s some big lady, but she’s a beautiful filly and she’s gone and done it today, so onwards and upwards.
“I’d say we’ll look at Ascot. She’s a lovely filly to have and there is a lot of work gone into this. It’s not just me, there are an awful lot of people back at home who have done unbelievable work.”
The specs: Fenyr SuperSport
Price, base: Dh5.1 million
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 800hp @ 7,100pm
Torque: 980Nm @ 4,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 13.5L / 100km
The biog
Favourite Emirati dish: Fish machboos
Favourite spice: Cumin
Family: mother, three sisters, three brothers and a two-year-old daughter
Mica
Director: Ismael Ferroukhi
Stars: Zakaria Inan, Sabrina Ouazani
3 stars
UAE athletes heading to Paris 2024
Equestrian
Abdullah Humaid Al Muhairi, Abdullah Al Marri, Omar Al Marzooqi, Salem Al Suwaidi, and Ali Al Karbi (four to be selected).
Judo
Men: Narmandakh Bayanmunkh (66kg), Nugzari Tatalashvili (81kg), Aram Grigorian (90kg), Dzhafar Kostoev (100kg), Magomedomar Magomedomarov (+100kg); women's Khorloodoi Bishrelt (52kg).
Cycling
Safia Al Sayegh (women's road race).
Swimming
Men: Yousef Rashid Al Matroushi (100m freestyle); women: Maha Abdullah Al Shehi (200m freestyle).
Athletics
Maryam Mohammed Al Farsi (women's 100 metres).
Company profile
Company name: Fasset
Started: 2019
Founders: Mohammad Raafi Hossain, Daniel Ahmed
Based: Dubai
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: $2.45 million
Current number of staff: 86
Investment stage: Pre-series B
Investors: Investcorp, Liberty City Ventures, Fatima Gobi Ventures, Primal Capital, Wealthwell Ventures, FHS Capital, VN2 Capital, local family offices
Getting there
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Tbilisi from Dh1,025 return including taxes
Company Profile
Company name: Cargoz
Date started: January 2022
Founders: Premlal Pullisserry and Lijo Antony
Based: Dubai
Number of staff: 30
Investment stage: Seed
Indika
Developer: 11 Bit Studios
Publisher: Odd Meter
Console: PlayStation 5, PC and Xbox series X/S
Rating: 4/5
The biog
Favourite book: Men are from Mars Women are from Venus
Favourite travel destination: Ooty, a hill station in South India
Hobbies: Cooking. Biryani, pepper crab are her signature dishes
Favourite place in UAE: Marjan Island
The Pope's itinerary
Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial
Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport