Lucky Vega, a close third to Poetic Flare in Newmarket, might give Jessica Harrington a first Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh, if today’s action survives a 7.30. a.m. inspection.
Parts of the straight track were waterlogged yesterday, prompting the decision to inspect this morning.
And, if the track remains unfit for racing, today’s card will be rescheduled for Monday.
Winner of the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes last summer and runner-up to Supremacy in the ‘Middle Park’, Lucky Vega proved his ability to see out a mile when beaten a short-head and a neck in the Qipco 2,000 Guineas, narrowly beaten by Poetic Flare and Master Of The Sea.
Unbalanced briefly and tight for room, he kept going well in the closing stages and, if he copes with very different ground conditions today, he might turn the tables on Jim Bolger’s Poetic Flare, who travelled to Longchamp last weekend for the French Guineas, finishing sixth to Ballydoyle colt St.Mark’s Basilica.
Poetic Flare had previously landed a Guineas trial at Leopardstown, beating Ace Aussie and Monaasib, who reopposes and is one of the few in the field guaranteed to relish the testing conditions.
Jim Boger also runs Mac Swiney, below par when fourth to the impressive Bolshoi Ballet in the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial at Leopardstown and winner of the Group 1 Vertem Futurity, in heavy ground, at Doncaster last autumn.
Aidan O’Brien has won this classic eleven times, most recently with Churchill in 2017. And, today, he saddles three, all unplaced in the English Guineas.
Van Gogh, a Group 1 winner in France last year, fared best of the trio in Newmarket, finishing eighth. But stable-jockey Ryan Moore has opted to ride Guineas eleventh Wembley, whose two-year-old form includes creditable seconds to Thunder Moon in the National Stakes and to St.Mark’s Basilica in the ‘Dewhurst’.
And, on that juvenile form, Wembley, winner of his maiden in Roscommon and proven in soft ground, has every chance today.
The other Ballydoyle contender is Battleground, second in the Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf, but only thirteenth in the English Guineas.
On a line through his Craven Stakes conqueror and fellow Godolphin colt Master Of The Sea, Charlie Appleby’s La Barrosa comes strongly into calculations too.
Like the Ballydoyle trio who contested the English Guineas, William Buick’s mount is open to plenty of improvement.
Ground conditions and tactics will be key. But Lucky Vega looks the one to beat.
Glen Shiel looks the pick in Greenlands
A Group 1 winner on his final start of 2020, the Archie Watson-trained Glen Shiel should successfully concede weight to his eleven rivals in the Group 2 Weatherbys Ireland Greenlands Stakes, chief supporting race on today’s Guineas card at the Curragh.
The tough Pivotal gelding gave Hollie Doyle her first Group 1 success when pipping Brando in the Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes at Ascot last October, the culmination of Glen Shiel’s impressive autumn campaign.
The selection made his Group 3 breakthrough when beating Paddy Twomey’s Sonaiyla (has since been bought by Moyglare and is in the field again today) in the Phoenix Sprint over this course and distance on Champions Weekend and built on that when chasing home Dream Of Dreams in the Betfair Sprint Cup in Haydock before his Group 1 success in Ascot.
Making his seasonal debut, 117-rated Glen Shiel must shoulder a 3lb. Group 1 penalty and is expected to prove best in a field which includes two other British challengers, Royal Commando and Summerghand, plus last years’ winner, the Joseph O’Brien-trained Speak In Colours and Sonaiyla.
Champers Elysees, who gave Johnny Murtagh’s his first Group 1 winner as a trainer in the ‘Matron’ last September, sets the standard, despite her Group 1 penalty, in the Group 2 Lanwades Stud Stakes.
A very progressive three-year-old last season, she looked rusty when fourth to No Speak Alexander in the ‘Athasi’ in her comeback run and, with improvement likely, should have the edge over Valeria Messalina.
It won’t be a surprise if Aidan O’Brien’s Dundalk winner Cadamosto is pulled out of the Group 3 ‘Marble Hill’ for two-year-olds – he has already been withdrawn from five engagements – due to ground conditions.
His stable-companion The Entertainer impressed on debut at Navan and, if stepping forward, might get the better of Fozzy Stack’s Castle Star, a listed winner here last time, and Donnacha O’Brien’s Navan scorer Masseto.
The Eddie Harty-trained Midnight Fire, drawn on the wrong side when fourth to Hightimeyouwon in Cork last time, might turn the tables that winner in the six-furlong Betway Handicap.
Tips
1.45.Thunder Eclipse
2.15.The Entertainer
2.45.Glen Shiel (Nap)
3.20.Lucky Vega
3.55.Champers Elysees
4.25.Boyne River
5.00.Midnight Fire
5.30.Liffey River
Next Best
1.45.The Acropolis
2.15.Castle Star
2.45.Summerghand
3.20.Wembley
3.55.Valeria Masselina
4.25.Holly Golightly
5.00.Hightimeyouwon
5.30.Cosmic Vega
Double: Glen Shiel and Champers Elysees.
O’Hehir’s Longshot: Monaasib (3.20.)
