Gleneagles (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is firmly on course for a titanic clash with French ace Solow (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}) in the G1 Qatar Sussex S. at Glorious Goodwood July 29. The dual G1 2000 Guineas and G1 St James's Palace hero delighted trainer Aidan O'Brien in a piece of work Friday and is all set to take on older horses for the first time in the mile showpiece.
Coolmore's UK representative Kevin Buckley said, “I met Aidan and Joseph on Saturday in Newmarket and they said he is in great shape and did a nice piece of work the previous day. Hopefully he will live up to expectations on the Sussex Downs. He is a specialist miler and Aidan O'Brien holds him in high esteem. He is a very tough horse, with a low action and you can see the Giant's Causeway coming through in him.”
The question of who will ride Gleneagles is up in the air, however, with Ryan Moore awaiting news on how long he will be on the sidelines for after being injured in a stalls incident at Newmarket last week. His father Gary Moore said on Saturday he expected his son to be out for “more than a month.”
Buckley, speaking at a Goodwood preview lunch, said, “Ryan's accident only happened recently and we are still awaiting further updates, but it is an injury that is going to take some time and he needs to take that time, so when he comes back he is back to his self. We will stick with the position of using the best available on the day.”
O'Brien is assembling a formidable team in addition to Gleneagles for Glorious Goodwood at the end of this month. Last weekend's G2 Superlative S. runner-up Air Vice Marshal (War Front), Listed Windsor Castle scorer Washington DC (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) and G2 Coventry S. second Air Force Blue (War Front) have all been pencilled in for 2-year-old races at Goodwood, while Father Christmas (Ire) (Bernardini) and Diamondsandrubies (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) are among the older brigade.
Coolmore's UK representative Kevin Buckley commented, “At this moment in time it looks like Air Vice Marshal is likely to take his place in the [G2] Vintage S. and all being well Washington DC will line up in the [G3] Molecomb [S.] and Air Force Blue will go for the [G2] Richmond [S.] after finishing a strong second in the Coventry. It's highly likely that Father Christmas will take his chance in the [G3] Gordon S., while Diamondsandrubies will go for the [G1] Nassau [S. Aug. 1].”
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