Dermot Weld is looking forward to a good season with his latest classy recruit Bobby's Kitten (Kitten's Joy). The Ken & Sarah Ramsey owned homebred got his Irish career off to the perfect start when winning the Listed Cork S. last week by eight lengths, showing great versatility on heavy ground. “He was very impressive at Cork and it's onwards and upwards with him,” said Weld. “He didn't win when trained in America last year, so I was keen to get him back to winning ways and he did it in style. While he wouldn't want the ground as testing as it was at Cork, he did have a few hard races on very firm ground in America. He's a big, heavy horse, so I think he will appreciate an ease in the ground,” added the Curragh trainer. Weld plans on stepping the 5-year-old up in grade for his next start with the G2 Greenlands S. at The Curragh May 21 as a probable next start. “We are likely to keep him to six and seven furlongs and the hope is that he could develop into a Group 1 horse in due course, with a race like the Prix de la Foret on Arc day appealing as being a smashing race for him in the longer term. The Greenlands Stakes at the Curragh is his next target.”
Dermot Weld also issued an update on G1 QIPCO Champion S. winner Fascinating Rock (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), last seen beating GI Longines Breeders' Cup Turf winner Found (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby winner Jack Hobbs (GB) (Halling) at Ascot last October. “He will reappear in the Mooresbridge S. at the Curragh [May 2] and while I hope he'll run very well, it is important to note that he's a very hard horse to get fit first time up. I'll have him as straight as I can going there, but whatever he does should put him right for his main early-season target which is the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh,” added Weld.
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