Fight Or Flight

Tackling Aidan O’Brien in a race like The Curragh’s G1 Keeneland Phoenix S. takes nerve, considering the stranglehold that the Ballydoyle conditioner has exerted over the juvenile feature in recent times, but Mark Johnston has never been one to duck a challenge, and he is in Kildare Sunday with a worthy opponent in Buratino (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}). Having dismissed the apparent Rosegreen number one Air Force Blue (War Front) by two lengths in the G2 Coventry S. when last seen at Royal Ascot June 16, the already battle-hardened colt–who had also taken Epsom’s Listed Woodcote S. by six lengths 10 days previously–enters this test with the upper hand. “It is the best 2-year-old race of the season so far,” Johnston commented. “Buratino won the Coventry, which is arguably the best 2-year-old race before August. He has been exceptionally well and this has been his target since Ascot. He is quite an experienced horse for a 2-year-old, having had six runs, and he is coming back off what for him has been a long break.”

O’Brien, who has garnered a record 13 editions since 1998, withdrew Air Force Blue from Glorious Goodwood due to the heavy rain that fell on the eve of the meeting and jockey Joseph O’Brien is happy that he will have his favored fast ground here. “He’s a lovely, big horse and he’s improving all the time–whatever he does this year is going to be a bonus. I think he’s the classiest horse of our three and there’s no doubt in a year’s time he’s going to be the best horse. My only worry is if the race is coming a bit early in his career, as he has a bit of progression to come yet.”

Team Ballydoyle also field the June 27 G2 Railway S. winner Painted Cliffs (Ire) (Canford Cliffs {Ire}), who put the re-opposing Rockaway Valley (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) firmly in his place when successful by 2 3/4 lengths in that course-and-distance contest. Washington DC (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) was also scratched from his intended engagement at Goodwood and is no lesser light based on his win in Royal Ascot’s Listed Windsor Castle S. over five furlongs last time June 16.