Alex Hammond blogs on Aidan O'Brien's Curragh triumphs and gives her tips for the weekend races.
High Standing looking good for the Jury Stakes at Haydock, says Alex
The Irish Guineas meeting at the Curragh provided the feature action last weekend and it was a memorable occasion for the master of Ballydoyle, Aidan O'Brien. His son Joseph - at the age of just 17 - rode Roderic O'Connor to victory in the Irish 2000 Guineas for his maiden classic success.
Aidan also saddled Misty for Me to win the fillies' classic, while Australian legend So You Think walked away with the Tattersalls Gold Cup on his second start for the trainer.
The latter is living up to his reputation and is now 7/4 favourite with
Sky Bet for the King George, but at the time of writing, Workforce hadn't made his reappearance in the Brigadier Gerard and he may have enhanced his claims for the Ascot race at Sandown.
So You Think is also joint 4/1 favourite with last year's Derby winner for the Arc and is also a leading candidate for some of the top mile races - what an exciting season awaits him as he bids to prove to everyone in the northern hemisphere how brilliant he is.
Irish 2000 Guineas winner Roderic O'Connor is now 16/1 with Sky Bet for the Derby after bouncing back to form at the Curragh; he is also in the Prix de Jockey Club. Misty for Me is 7/1 with
Sky Bet for the Oaks but is also entered in France in the Prix de Diane.
Aidan O'Brien has some significant entries at Leopardstown on Sunday and it could be another great weekend for him. He has Zoffany entered in the Ballycorus Stakes, who has his first run since getting stuck in the soft ground in the National Stakes at the Curragh in September. He was due to run in the Irish Guineas but a bout of colic kept him at home.
O'Brien also has Fame and Glory in the Saval Beg Stakes who already has a Listed race under his belt this season. He is currently 5/2 favourite for the Ascot Gold Cup and could face the current 4/1 second favourite Rite of Passage on Sunday who was last year's Ascot Gold Cup winner for Dermot Weld.
Fame and Glory is a tough consistent middle distance performer, but he handled the step up to one mile five furlongs last time out and this extra furlong won't to be an issue. It looks a fascinating clash.
High Standing to scale new heights with headgear fitted
Moving on to the domestic action weekend, there is some competitive racing with the focus on Haydock. The feature race is the Jury Stakes on Saturday - a race you will know better as the John Of Gaunt Stakes - a Group Three over seven furlongs. There are a few old favourites (characters!) in the field and it looks competitive with 10 declared.
Clive Cox is hoping for rain to aid Beacon Lodge's cause. He won after 10 months off in a Listed contest over the seven furlongs at Haydock earlier this month. It's a step back up in class for the horse who was second in a Group Three in France last July on his penultimate outing before suffering a setback and being forced onto the sidelines. He was second in this race in 2009.
There are higher rated horses in the field, including the highest-rated Regal Parade for Dandy Nicholls, whose finest hour came at this track in the Sprint Cup. He also won a Group One at Deauville over this trip - the Prix Maurice De Gheest.
He comes here in great form having finished second in a very strong race, the Duke of York, to Delegator last time out. His main target is the Prix Maurice De Gheest once again. It's worth noting he will only run if the ground is suitable.
Doncaster Rover was second to Main Aim in this last year, but all his wins have come over shorter trips. Shakespearean represents Saeed bin Suroor (Ted Durcan rides); he is second highest rated and enjoys this seven furlong trip - he wears cheek-pieces for the first time.
The trip also suits The Cheka who would prefer a bit of cut in the ground. High Standing has a bit to prove after flopping in the Leicestershire Stakes last time out, but can't be discounted with blinkers on for the first time and Ryan Moore in the saddle. Regal Parade is the form horse after that excellent effort at York last time out and he looks the likely favourite. I think High Standing is worth an each-way wager though, with the first time headgear fitted.
Ferdoos fancied to give Varian high-profile Haydock success
Staying at Haydock, and Meeznah makes her seasonal reappearance in the Listed Pinnacle Stakes. She was second past the post in last year's Oaks but was later disqualified for a failed test. She is expected to need the run here and may have to see the backside of Roger Varian's Ferdoos who hails from an in form yard. Sir Michael Stoute saddles Crystal Capella the top rated filly, who has to defy a penalty. It's a decent little contest and I'm with Ferdoos.
Derby hope Pour Moi pleases Fabre in Epsom workout
Epsom hosted their Breakfast with the Stars morning on Thursday which saw a couple of the leading Derby contenders get a feel of the track. Native Khan was one of those to tackle the cambers of Tattenham Corner for Ed Dunlop, but the assembled press said you would have to be very perceptive to have gleaned anything from the canter as he only went at a steady pace - unlike Motivator who 'railed' at speed before his Derby win a few years ago.
However, he is a horse who will appreciate the mile and a half and Sky Bet leaves him unchanged as an 11/1 shot for next month's classic - there are worse each-way selections. Perhaps the more informative of the gallops came from Pour Moi. Andre Fabre came over to watch his colt gallop and he seemed pleased with what he saw.
Pour Moi is a son of Montjeu and got warm beforehand, but Fabre allayed any fears over his temperament by saying the horse sweats every morning in his work. He added that he won't mind being unpopular by beating the Queen's Carlton House who is 11/8 favourite for Sir Michael Stoute.
Fabre said he is in love with this colt and the bookmakers reacted by cutting him in their markets - he is now 5/1 from sixes with Sky Bet. He went onto say he is the best chance he has ever had in the Derby and he will be bidding to be the first French-trained winner since Empery in 1976.
Whatever happens, the Derby is making up into a cracking contest and certainly isn't as one-sided as the market may have suggested in recent weeks. I'll have a full preview of both the Derby and the Oaks in next week's blog.
Selections
SATURDAY:
High Standing in the Jury Stakes @ Haydock (each way)
Ferdoos in the Pinnacle Stakes @ Haydock
Naqshabban in the Fairway Stakes @ Newmarket
SUNDAY:
Zoffany in the Ballycorus Stakes @ Leopardstown
Fame and Glory in the Saval Beg Stakes @ Leopardstown
