While Khalid Abdullah's unbeaten Siskin (First Defence) is the current favourite for Friday evening's €250,000 G1 Irish 2000 Guineas at The Curragh, the G2 Railway S. and G1 Phoenix S. winner is far from the certainty that Pinatubo (Ire) (Shamardal) appeared to be at Newmarket six days earlier and even that champion met with reversal at crunch-time. Connections will be hoping that the forecast rain does not make a major difference to the current fast conditions and the homebred enters his Classic test showing all the right signals. His biggest issue is probably the strong opposition, with a deeper field bringing about a more open renewal than is sometimes the case including a six-strong battalion from a Ballydoyle stable that is off to a flyer in 2020.
With a record 11 wins in this since Desert King (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) opened the scoring in 1997, Aidan O'Brien bows to no-one and it is hard to argue that any of his representatives can be safely ruled out of this edition. While the season is less than a week old as far as this stable is concerned, the initial signs are very positive that everything is in full working order at Rosegreen. Successful in the G1 1000 Guineas and very nearly so in the G1 2000 Guineas at Newmarket–with what was viewed in the latter as the stable's second-string–the operation could easily be celebrating yet another of their fabled whitewashes in an Irish Classic we have become so used to witnessing down the years.
On official ratings, there is only five pounds between the five who stepped outside of maiden company in 2019 with 'TDN Rising Star' Monarch of Egypt (American Pharoah) topping them courtesy of his second in the G1 Phoenix S. Intriguingly, Seamie Heffernan who has yet to win this particular race has sided with another 'TDN Rising Star' in Lope Y Fernandez (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), who came up short behind Pinatubo on two occasions last term before winning the six-furlong G3 Round Tower S. here in August. Only sixth in the G1 Middle Park S. at Newmarket when last seen in October, the bay could be ready for a step up to a mile and will probably appreciate easy ground more than some of his stablemates if the rain sets in.
With three defeats after his success in the seven-furlong G3 Tyros S. at Leopardstown in July and the G2 Futurity S. here in August, Armory (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) has some questions to answer. His third placing behind the subsequent G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains first and third Victor Ludorum (GB) (Shamardal) and Alson (Ger) (Areion {Ger}) in the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at ParisLongchamp on Arc day was followed by a poor 20-lengths second to the latter in that track's seven-furlong G1 Criterium International later that month, but that came in sapping conditions which probably exaggerated the differential between them.
The master of Ballydoyle spoke to the Racing Post on Thursday about his prospects. “Armory seems to be in good form and we were happy with him during the winter and through the spring. We have had our eye on this race for him for a long time. Lope Y Fernandez won the Round Tower over six furlongs, so he is going into unknown territory with regards to the trip but we have been happy with his work and he also seems to be in good form. Vatican City (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is a lovely horse. This is only his third run, but we are looking forward to seeing what he is going to do. We've always thought he was a very nice colt.”
“Royal Lytham (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) can race a little lazily, which is why we are fitting him with blinkers, but he has never run beyond six furlongs. He won the July S. over that trip and he's a lovely, relaxed horse so we'll learn a lot about him. Monarch of Egypt is a horse we've always liked. He worked better than he showed on a racecourse last year, but does have some nice pieces of form. It's a big step up in trip for him as well, but we always felt he'd stay a mile. Fort Myers (War Front) is a solid horse. He had a very good run in the Champagne S. last year and we felt the Curragh mile would really suit him. He's in good order and this type of race should suit him.”
With Jessica Harrington's stable beginning this season where they left off, it is not inconceivable that the Niarchos Family's 'TDN Rising Star' Free Solo (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}) could also hit the ground running here. He had Tuesday's G3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial winner Cormorant (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) back in fourth when scoring by five lengths on what was to be his juvenile finale at Leopardstown in July and it is impossible to put a true marker on his ability at present.
Unsurprisingly, Kingman (GB) has got off to a flyer in 2020 and His Highness The Aga Khan's son of the Juddmonte wunderkind Sinawann (Ire) will be a factor if there is a significant going change to turn this into more of a test of stamina. His gallant second to Mogul (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G2 Champions Juvenile S. over a mile on Leopardstown's Irish Champions card marked him as more of a Derby prospect, but trainer Mick Halford is keen to try this speed test.
“The horse is in good form and has trained really well, so we're happy with him,” Halford said. “Obviously Siskin looks the obvious one, he's a very justifiable favourite and then you've always got Aidan. Our fellow has shown a good level of form as a 2-year-old and we felt he was entitled to take his chance. The Curragh is a stiff track and you'd need to get every yard. It's usually a strong gallop and that will certainly play into our hands.”
Also on the Curragh card is the G3 Coolmore Ten Sovereigns Gallinule S., which sees the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud third Mythical (Fr) (Camelot {GB}) head a Ballydoyle duo taking on the G2 Beresford S. third Gold Maze (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}) from the Jessie Harrington stable and Scott Heider's unbeaten Feb. 28 Listed Patton S. winner Crossfirehurricane (GB) (Kitten's Joy) representing Joseph O'Brien. Closing the fixture is the G2 Coolmore Magna Grecia Irish EBF Mooresbridge S., where Moyglare Stud Farm's G1 Irish St Leger heroine Search For a Song (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) takes on fellow 4-year-old filly and triple Group 1-placed Fleeting (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) and seven others.
The field for Saturday evening's G1 Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas was also set on Thursday, with a field of 15 due for the €250,000 Classic. The Niarchos family's homebred G1 Prix Marcel Boussac winner and ante-post favourite Albigna (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) will depart from the outside post in 13, while her Jessie Harrington-trained stablemate and G3 Oh So Sharp S. runner-up Valeria Messalina (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) has been drawn in stall four. Aidan O'Brien saddles just two for this year's renewal, with the G1 Moyglare Stud S. third So Wonderful (War Front) due to exit from five and the Listed Montrose Fillies' S. runner-up Peaceful (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) alongside in six with Seamie Heffernan on board.
Ger Lyons is numerically the strongest, with three representatives from his Glenburnie stable headed by Even So (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) who was third in the G3 Park Express S. before the lockdown at Naas Mar. 23. She has drawn seven, while Soul Search (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) is in nine and Roca Roma (Ire) (Australia {GB}) is in 12, with Colin Keane opting for the latter who is still a maiden after finishing second in a mile maiden at Leopardstown in October. Donnacha O'Brien has an early chance of Classic glory via the unbeaten Listed Staffordstown Stud S. winner Fancy Blue (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and she will become the rookie conditioner's first runner in such company coming out of stall 14. The Aga Khan's 'TDN Rising Star' Ridenza (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) is having only her second career start for the Mick Halford stable, having won in August over seven furlongs at Leopardstown, and is in the middle stall in eight.
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