Sweet Sixteen

Since 1996, The Curragh's G2 Juddmonte Beresford S. has failed to go to Aidan O'Brien only five times and it looks likely that the Ballydoyle supremo will be enjoying a 16th renewal on Sunday. Of the quartet from Rosegreen, Ryan Moore is on the Listed Coolmore Canford Cliffs S. winner Capri (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who displayed a creditable attitude when making virtually all in that 7 1/2-furlong contest at Tipperary Aug. 5. Seamie Heffernan is on the impressive Sept. 5 Galway maiden winner Exemplar (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Colm O'Donoghue is aboard Latin Beat (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who had the subsequent G1 National S. fourth Son of Rest (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) back in second over an extended seven furlongs at Tipperary on debut Aug. 25. “This has been the plan for Capri since he won at Tipperary and we've been very happy with him since then. He seems in good form,” O'Brien said. “Exemplar is good. He won nicely in Galway last time. He progressed nicely from his first run and we've been happy with him since. Latin Beat won nicely in Tipperary and the horse that finished second to him ran well in the National S. We think the step up to a mile shouldn't be any problem for him.”

Last but not least from the O'Brien stable is the Niarchos Family's colour-bearer Yucatan (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a son of Six Perfections (Fr) (Celtic Swing {GB}) who won over this course and distance last time Aug. 28. “He progressed nicely from his first run to win nicely at The Curragh the last time and we think he'll progress again to this run,” his trainer added.

Moyglare Stud's Firey Speech (Street Cry {Ire}) was no match for the impressive Landfall (Fr) (Myboycharlie {Ire}) when runner-up in the G3 Champions Juvenile S. over this trip at Leopardstown Sept. 10 and the third Douglas Macarthur (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) upheld that form in the G2 Royal Lodge S. on Saturday. Jockey Pat Smullen said, “He's a good, solid horse and ran a good race at Leopardstown on Irish Champions Weekend. The Ballydoyle horses will be hard to beat and our horse wouldn't want the ground too slow.”