Isaac Newton
Isaac Newton put up a lovely performance on his racecourse debut to finish second in the seven-furlong maiden that opened proceedings at The Curragh on Saturday. Nicely away from his outside draw in stall 14, Aidan O'Brien's horse settled well in mid-division early on, up on the outside. He made good ground towards the leaders from the four-furlong marker and, travelling best of all on the run to the two-furlong pole, he picked up well when rider Jack Cleary asked him to. He closed on the leader New Zealand all the way to the line, just failing by a nose to get there.
This is a maiden that is often contested by horses who go on to be top class. Teofilo won it, New Approach won it, Australia won it, McSwiney won it, Henry Longfellow won it, The Lion In Winter won it. But it's not just the winners of the race who can go on to greater things. Sea The Stars finished fourth in the race in 2008 before he went and conquered the world. Al Riffa finished second in the race in 2022, and he won his maiden the following month and he won the National Stakes the month after that. By Camelot out of the Elusive Quality mare Etive, a half-sister to Master Of The Seas, winner of the Breeders' Cup Mile and the Woodbine Mile and the Summer Mile, Isaac Newton should be winning his maiden next time before stepping up in grade, and he could be a contender for some of the top juveniles' races later in the season.
The Curragh, 19th July 2025
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