Precise renews rivalry with Blue Bolt in Deauville Group One

Aidan O’Brien’s stable continues its dominance in European racing as Precise prepares to challenge Blue Bolt in the €300,000 Prix Rothschild at Deauville on Sunday. The Irish trainer’s filly, a winner of the Irish 1,000 Guineas and Coronation Stakes, returns to the track in a Group One race over a mile. This marks the third time the pair have clashed since the beginning of the year, with Blue Bolt narrowly edging out Precise in the Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket. Both horses are among eight runners in the field, with the race set to take place at 3.40pm Irish time and broadcast live on Sky. O’Brien’s campaign has been marked by consistent success, with two additional Group One victories at Goodwood during the week. These came courtesy of Scandinavia and Diamond Necklace, further solidifying his position in the race for the world record of 28 Group/Grade One wins in a single year, a feat previously achieved in 2017. That historic season included a win in the Rothschild with Roly Poly, a race that would later see O’Brien triumph with Mother Earth in 2021. With these recent successes, O’Brien is well on track to challenge the record once again. The competition in the Prix Rothschild features notable entries beyond Precise and Blue Bolt. Colin Keane, who rode Blue Bolt to victory in the Falmouth Stakes, will partner the horse again in Normandy, while Shane Foley will ride Evolutionist for Karl Burke. Other prominent names include Amelia Earhart, who seeks to reclaim form in the Group Two Lillie Langtry Stakes at Goodwood. The filly, who struggled in the Epsom and Curragh Oaks, has been moved to a shorter distance for this race. She faces off against Joseph O’Brien’s Goodie Two Shoes, the 2023 Melbourne Cup runner-up, alongside other contenders such as Consent and Santorini Star, who finished first and second in a Group One at Longchamp on Arc Day last year. At Goodwood, JP McManus’s In My Teens will compete in the Group Three BoyleSports Handicap Hurdle. The horse, who ran well in a Curragh handicap over Derby weekend, has received a 15-pound rating increase ahead of the race. Oisín Murphy and Gavin Cromwell will ride the entry, adding to the competitive mix. Meanwhile, Victory Speech is favored in a four-runner juvenile maiden at Galway, with the filly showing promise in previous races. The domestic racing calendar also includes the €110,000 Boylesports Handicap Hurdle, where Comfort Zone, who recently won an amateur contest, is expected to perform well after recovering from a setback. Other highlights include the €110,000 Ahonoora Handicap, where Orandi aims for a double after winning the Mile on Tuesday. The horse carries a 7-pound penalty and will face familiar rivals, including Lir Speciale, who finished seventh behind him. A potential drop back to seven furlongs and softer ground might benefit Orandi, though a defection is needed to secure his participation. Lir Speciale’s trainer, Brian Ellison, previously claimed four consecutive victories in this race between 2014 and 2017. Another English contender, Wahraan, who narrowly missed out in a flat handicap, appears well-weighted for the opening hurdle. Meanwhile, jockey Danny Mullins faces a decision regarding possible appeals against penalties totaling €3,000 following a breach of parade ring rules before the Galway Hurdle. The stewards ruled that Mullins had instructed the groom leading his mount Tounsivator to avoid walking around the parade ring. The outcome of his appeal will be known by Tuesday. As the racing calendar continues, the focus remains on the high-stakes battles at Deauville and Goodwood, where O’Brien’s influence is evident across multiple disciplines.