Key connections to follow this weekend at the Curragh: 'Albert Einstein bids to put his credentials on the line' Weekend Irish action comes from the Curragh, with the Kildare circuit hosting an action-packed afternoon of Flat fare. They get going at 13:25 and race through until 17:25, with conditions forecast to be 'soft to heavy'. The feature race is the Listed Gladness Stakes (15:05) — a contest the champion trainer Aidan O'Brien has enjoyed somewhat of a stranglehold on with three wins in the last six renewals, and Albert Einstein bids to put his credentials on the line before a tilt at the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket. We've picked out a trainer, jockey and owner to follow at the Curragh on Saturday. Trainer: Mick Mulvany O'Brien will be covered in the jockey category and is too obvious a name to go for, but an under-the-radar trainer who is always worth following early on in the season is Mick Mulvany, whose sole representative on the day will be Electric Beauty, who will take her chance in the mile handicap (16:15) under 3lb claimer Wesley Joyce. Mulvany got his turf season off to an absolute flyer at the Curragh earlier in the month when saddling two 20/1 winners, when Ribee won the 25-runner Irish Lincoln in style and the aforementioned Electric Beauty won a 26-runner handicap over course and distance on the same day. Electric Beauty is going to be a much shorter price on this occasion, given she won off a mark of 66 on that occasion with utter ease, and Joyce's claim will offset half of the 6lb hike in the weights, so the four-year-old daughter of Mastercraftsman must have a golden chance of following up in similar conditions. Jockey: Ryan Moore There will be no prizes for guessing who the jockey to follow at the Curragh is this weekend, and it is, of course, Ryan Moore, who heads to the Curragh off the back of a great week, riding a treble at Naas on Sunday before steering Constitution Hill to an easy victory on his second Flat start at Kempton on Wednesday night. Moore rode 23 winners from 60 rides at the track last season, which is an incredible return of 38% and he has ridden 100 winners on the button from 285 rides at the track in the last five years, operating at circa 35%. He has four rides on the card, but all eyes will be on current 2,000 Guineas favourite Albert Einstein in the feature Listed Gladness Stakes (15:05), where he will have to win in convincing fashion to warrant his price tag. Owner: Pauline McCourt & Stephen Sweeney Again, it would be too obvious to bring up an owner connected to the Ballydoyle operation, so we again go under the radar and side with Pauline McCourt & Stephen Sweeney, who have a 100% strike-rate at the Curragh this season! That is said in jest as they have only had the one runner at the track this season, but that horse is Smoke Them Out, who also won here on Lincoln weekend, and should have every chance of backing that up in the 5f handicap (13:55).
