Conditioner Richard Hannon will still have two runners in the G1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas at The Curragh Saturday–despite Estidhkaar (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) being forced to miss the race with a dirty scope. Hannon stated Monday his intention to run the G2 Champagne S. winner after being thrilled by a piece of work at the weekend, but plans have had to be shelved. He will now be represented by Ivawood (Ire) (Zebedee {GB}), third behind Gleneagles (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) at Newmarket, and Lexington Times (Ire) (Paco Boy {Ire}).
“It's a shame, but Estidhkaar's scope was not great and you need to be 100% if you are going to be a player in a Classic,” the Wiltshire handler posted on his website. “We'll give him time to recover and look for something else. Ivawood worked well [Tuesday morning] and he is in really good form. We are also taking Lexington Times. The owners [Middleham Park Racing] are keen to have a crack, and the colt seems to have thrived for a little break.”
Sixteen colts are still in the Classic, with impressive Newmarket winner Gleneagles topping the list.
His trainer Aidan O'Brien has also left in Cape Clear Island (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), Highland Reel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Sir Isaac Newton (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), Smuggler's Cove (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), The Warrior (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) and War Envoy (War Front).
Roger Varian is hoping for some ease in the ground to allow Belardo (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) to show his true colors. The Lope De Vega colt looked every inch a Classic contender after rounding off a fine juvenile campaign with a Group 1 success in the G1 Dewhurst S. at Newmarket. But he was never a factor on his first start as a 3-year-old when he finished down the field in last month's G3 Greenham S. at Newbury.
“He doesn't want it too quick,” Varian told At The Races. “I think good ground and anything easier than good is favorable. He did some very nice work on Sunday morning, the plan is to run him on Saturday and we just hope it doesn't dry out too much. He didn't have a hard race, he's a fresh horse. We'd be very confident that, provided the ground isn't too quick, we've a very good horse on our hands still.”
The Ger Lyons-trained Cappella Sansevero (GB) (Showcasing {GB}), Convergence (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) and Endless Drama (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) still remain in the hunt, while Carbon Dating (Ire) (The Carbon Unit), Tombelaine (First Defence) and Mohaayed (GB) (Intikhab) complete the list.
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