Aidan O'Brien's record seven winners of the G1 St James's Palace S. include some of the Royal Meeting's benchmark performers of recent times and Tuesday's renewal offers one in the form of The Gurkha (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who could yet fit the mould of a Giant's Causeway, a Rock of Gibraltar (Ire) or a Henrythenavigator. Unraced until early April, Derrick Smith's colourbearer has enjoyed a meteoric rise in a short space of time with a nine-length maiden win on soft-to-heavy ground at Navan Apr. 17, offering the hors d'oeuvres to his powerful display in Deauville's G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains May 15. There can only be encouragement in the fact that the third-placed Dicton (GB) (Lawman {Fr}) and fifth-placed Zarak (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}) went on to be third and second, respectively, in the G1 Prix du Jockey Club and that the quartet who finished eighth to 11th were the G3 Prix Paul de Moussac first and second Zelzal (Fr) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) and Moon Trouble (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), the G3 Prix du Palais-Royal winner Attendu (Fr) (Acclamation {GB}) and the Listed Prix Marchand d'Or scorer Jimmy Two Times (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}). “The ground is going to be the thing to work out–The Gurkha won his maiden on soft ground, but it was very nice ground in France,” his trainer commented, while jockey Ryan Moore who has marked him out as his best ride of the meeting, added, “I think my mount should be able to handle both softer and faster ground.”
In a rare clash of the winners of the big three European 2000 Guineas, the substance of the Irish equivalent is represented by Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum's Awtaad (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}), who put Al Shaqab's Newmarket Classic hero Galileo Gold (GB) (Paco Boy {Ire}) in his place at The Curragh May 21. Six of the last 10 winners of this race were coming off a success in that test and it probably is the ideal prep as a result. “He will appreciate the ground at Ascot, as he doesn't mind that easy ground,” trainer Kevin Prendergast said. “The Curragh is the stiffest mile in the world, so the track won't be a problem. He has trained well since The Curragh and is in good shape. He looks better and fitter than he did in the Irish 2000 Guineas. We always thought he was a good horse.” Of the opposition, the veteran handler is unequivocal as to where his attention will be focused. “I would not worry about Galileo Gold,” he added. “The Gurkha is the horse you would have to be worried about. It looks a cracking race and you have three Guineas winners coming together. If he wins this, it would top his Guineas win.”
Galileo Gold did meet trouble in running at The Curragh and should relish the ease in the surface, although it is hard to escape the feeling that the standard of his victory in the Apr. 30 2000 Guineas has been subsequently usurped both in Normandy and Kildare. That is backed up by the current odds, with the unusual circumstance of the Guineas winner trading as only the third favourite for this at enhanced odds of around 5-1. Trainer Hugo Palmer believes he will be closer to his Newmarket level than last time. “I can't believe it will get as soft as The Curragh, when it really was very soft,” he said. “I'm certain the winner loved it, but we were second in a Group 1 so it's not like he completely hated it. I had talked all winter about going to France as I was worried about rattling-fast ground at Newmarket, as it can be. My slight suspicion at the moment is that despite the fact I was totally happy with him going to The Curragh–as peaks and troughs go–Newmarket and now are perhaps slightly more peaks and The Curragh was more of a trough in the horse's well-being. I was very happy going to the Curragh, but I am just a bit more happy with him now. We're drawn a bit wider, which will have its own complications, but he should have no excuses in getting trapped.”
The quality of this triumvirate is further evidenced by the fact that Godolphin's G2 Champagne S.-winning 'TDN Rising Star' Emotionless (Ire) (Shamardal) and G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere runner-up Cymric (Kitten's Joy) have been relegated to bit-players as far as the betting market is concerned. Emotionless's trainer Charlie Appleby does not see the race in that way. “All systems are go for the return of Emotionless,” he commented. “I am not worried about the prospect of soft ground. It was on the easy side at Doncaster when he won the G2 Champagne S. in September and he handled that well. Emotionless lengthens well and has got gears and all we want is a nice sensible pace up on the front end to ensure a true-run race, which is what everybody wants to see.” Jockey William Buick added, “Emotionless has had a long time off and it's a very, very hot race but the horse has come right, he looks good and it is at the right time of year for him. We still think he retains all the ability he had last year. He's in at the deep end, but we are looking forward to getting him back. He will do himself justice, but it will be a building block. It is his first run of the year and, whatever he does on Tuesday, you would think he will be better next time.”
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
