July 12Jul 12 Author Comanche Brave came from under the radar to plunder the July Cup in decisive fashion, giving Billy Loughnane a third Group 1 success of the year and winning trainer Donnacha O'Brien his second top-level triumph in a week.The 11-1 chance was relatively unconsidered, having finished behind a number of his better-fancied rivals when seventh at Royal Ascot, but turned the form on its head with a smooth win.The four-year-old showcased his talent in the Middle East and Hong Kong this year before landing the Group 2 Greenlands Stakes at the Curragh in May, but he was registering a breakthrough first Group 1 success here. The July festival is familiar Group 1 territory for O'Brien, who won the Falmouth Stakes at this fixture in 2024 with Porta Fortuna, but it was a first at the venue for the jockey, who finished fourth on Believing in the sprint a year ago.Comanche Brave had met some interference when finishing two and three-quarter lengths adrift of Almeraq and Satono Reve in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot, but got a lovely tow into the race from the Japanese raider this time around.
July 12Jul 12 Author Paddy Magee hailed an "absolutely unbelievable" super Saturday when the trainer landed an astonishing 3,984-1 across-the-card four-timer, having never before saddled two winners on the same day.Magee, a former point-to-point rider, took out his training licence in 2022 and has been steadily improving, saddling a seasonal-best eight winners on the Flat last year. Before Saturday, he had trained just two Flat winners in 2026, but when Glen Breeze justified 5-2 favouritism in the 6½f handicap at Limerick's evening meeting, he had six on the board after a scarcely believable few hours.
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