Curragh trainer Michael O'Callaghan is planning a direct route towards Newmarket with his G1 2000 Guineas hope Blue De Vega (Ger) (Lope De Vega {Ire}). The 3-year-old ended his juvenile campaign on a high when slamming his rivals in the G3 Killavullan S. at Leopardstown last October and providing everything goes smoothly in the interim O'Callaghan is happy to go straight to Newmarket Apr. 30 without a prep.
“He's shaping up well and has done really well over the winter,” O'Callaghan commented. “I'm delighted with how he has done. He came back in just before the new year and is obviously back in full training. We're very happy with him and very excited with the way he is going.”
The colt, bred in Germany by Gestut Ammerland but a €75,000 purchase from last year's Goresbridge Breeze Up Sale, races for a partnership that includes Qatar Racing, Sheikh Khalifa, Sheikh Suhaim and Mohamed Al Kubaisi.
O'Callaghan added, “We're not looking to have a prep race and he'll probably go straight to the Guineas, all going well. If it were a case that the Newmarket race came a bit too soon for us, I would have no problem doing right by the horse and running him in a trial before going for the [G1] Irish 2000 Guineas.”
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