The juvenile event which opens the card at Leopardstown this evening is arguably the most interesting contest in Britain or Ireland today, as it is the race in which Aidan O’Brien’s September made a successful debut last season before following up 16 days later in the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot.
It is also the contest in which the outstanding filly Minding made her first appearance in 2015, three months before the first of her seven Group One wins, and Together and Bracelet, who both went on to win at Group One level, are also among the winners since 2010, so this is clearly a race that O’Brien bears in mind for the most promising of his juvenile fillies.
O’Brien has three of the nine runners in this year’s renewal and the booking of his son Donnacha, fresh from his win in the Oaks last week, aboard Secret Thoughts suggests that she is seen as the pick. By War Front out of the 2015 Irish Oaks winner Chicquita, she is certainly bred to relish this seven-furlong test on her debut, but potential dangers on pedigree include her stable companion Fire Fly, the mount of Seamie Heffernan, who is a full sister to last season’s Superlative Stakes winner, Gustav Klimt.
It is certainly a contest to watch closely with Royal Ascot now less than a fortnight away, but those looking for a more immediate return could well find that Acclaim The Nation (4.00) fits the bill in the five-furlong handicap at Haydock this afternoon. Eric Alston’s five-year-old made all the running to win at Thirsk last month and then finished a close third behind Tanasoq, the comfortable winner of the Dash handicap at Epsom on Derby day. He remains relatively lightly-raced with just 11 runs in the book and has a big chance at around 5-2 to rediscover his winning form.
Florencio (8.50) has been in fine form on the all-weather and will be difficult to beat if he can translate it to turf, while Careyanne (3.50) is fairly priced at around 6-1 at Yarmouth this afternoon. Highland Sky (6.25) could have a better chance than a price of 12-1 suggests in the Young Stayers’ Handicap at Sandown this evening, and Infrastructure (7.35) should also go well on the same card.
Yarmouth 1.50 Arigato 2.20 Blonde Warrior 2.50 Narynkol 3.20 Bartholomew J 3.50 Careyanne 4.20 Mutafarrid 4.50 Marilyn 5.20 Comporta
Haydock 2.00 Eyecatcher 2.30 Laxmi 3.00 Soldier’s Call 3.30 Warrior’s Valley 4.00 Acclaim The Nation (nap) 4.30 Mystic Flight 5.00 Maghfoor
Ripon 2.10 Eyelool 2.40 Juneau 3.10 Mooltazem 3.40 Gurkha Friend 4.10 Mutabaahy 4.40 Savaanah 5.10 Regal Mirage
Sandown 5.55 Mersey 6.25 Highland Sky 7.00 Kassar 7.35 Infrastructure 8.05 Al Muffrih 8.40 Renny’s Lady
Carlisle 6.05 Samantha James 6.40 Early Edition 7.15 Kelly’s Dino 7.45 Johni Boxit 8.20 Fujaira Prince 8.50 Florencio (nb) 9.20 My Girl Maisie
Tips by Greg Wood.
