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Melbourne Cup Possible for G2 Curragh Cup Quinella

Tara Madgwick - Sunday July 21

The Group II Comer Group International Curragh Cup (1m6f) was run overnight in Ireland with a Galileo quinella for Aidan O’Brien and both Tower of London and Grosvenor Square are somewhere in the mix for the Melbourne Cup having soundly beaten Vauban, who was favourite at Flemington last year.

Vauban was favourite for this assignment, but could manage only third as three year-old Grosvenor Square set the pace in front for Gavin Ryan and looked set for victory until Tower of London finished like an express train for Ryan Moore to win by length and a quarter.

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Fourth in the Group I English St Leger last year, four year-old Tower of London campaigned in Saudi Arabia and Dubai earlier this year winning Group races including the Group II Dubai Gold Cup at 2m with his overall record now six wins from 12  starts.

"Ryan gave him a peach. He stays well, has got a great cruising speed and is able to quicken. He's a very good horse and can travel anywhere,” said Aidan O’Brien.

“We might look to space out his runs a bit and he could be back here for the Irish St Leger. He could be a Melbourne Cup horse. The runner-up loved the distance and he could be a Melbourne Cup horse as well."

Tower of London is a full brother to dual Group I winning stayer Capri and Group winners Passion and Cypress Creek as well as the dam of Group I winner Commissioning. He is one of seven winners from blue hen Dialafara, a winning Anabaa daughter of Group II winner Diamilina with the family also producing Bauer, who finished a very close second in a Melbourne Cup.

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