In The Lap Of The Gods

Weather-watching is a common pastime for the trainers of European turf horses, and all concerned with the eight who are scheduled to line up in Saturday’s G1 QIPCO Irish Champion S. will be particularly keen on meteorology in the lead-up to what could be a modern classic at Leopardstown. With Gleneagles (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Golden Horn (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}) dependant to varying degrees on how much rain the course gets, only Cirrus des Aigles (Fr) (Even Top {Ire}) would need it to ease significantly to write another remarkable chapter in his already remarkable career opus. His trainer Corine Barande-Barbe apart, it is fair to say that virtually everybody wants to see the potentially heavy forecast rain miss this Foxrock venue and allow for the keenly anticipated clash between the G1 Epsom Derby and G1 2000 Guineas heroes to take place. Whether the preceding rain had as much to do with Golden Horn’s unforeseen defeat at the hands of the unexpected surprise package Arabian Queen (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in York’s G1 Juddmonte International as the tactical nature of that Aug. 19 highlight is open to debate, but what was clear from that race was that the Oppenheimer homebred ran too free early on. Having been forced to make his own running when beating this race’s 2014 hero The Grey Gatsby (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) in the July 4 G1 Eclipse at Sandown, it could be that the bay needs to settle down if he is to revive the more languid effectiveness that characterized his impressive performance in Epsom’s blue riband. Tactics will be in Frankie Dettori’s hands, but it is clear that John Gosden believes he should have been ridden with less restraint at York, and a return to a more positive ride could be on the cards with no obvious pacemaker declared other than the Aug. 15 GI Secretariat S. winner Highland Reel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).

“We got it wrong at York, but full marks to the filly,” John Gosden said. “As far as I’m concerned, that’s what racing is all about. If you run them enough something is going to happen. He’s been doing normal routine canters and normal routine work. Nothing fancy, nothing different. He’s an exuberant horse and that’s part of his character.” Regarding the rain, which had begun to fall lightly by mid-afternoon on Friday, he added, “If it’s good or good-to-soft ground we’ll run. If it goes very, very soft, I’ll walk that track about three times until my wellies fill up and then make a decision.”

Nessa Joyce, Leopardstown’s racing and operations manager, gave an update on Friday afternoon. “There is a nice steady drop and we are going to get more as I don’t think the forecast has changed, but hopefully there won’t be so many heavy bits in it that other parts of the country have had,” she said. “We will let the track speak for itself in the morning and we will be up early to see how much of the rain has got into it. It is supposed to be a dry day tomorrow, so it gives us a few hours’ play before racing.”

Whether there will be enough evaporation to ensure the elusive Gleneagles runs remains to be seen, and he will undoubtedly be a major factor in the outcome if the rain has little impact on the ground, with stamina almost assured despite his abundant speed. Without a run since the G1 St James’s Palace S. at Royal Ascot June 16, Michael Tabor’s bay has had the rain follow him around subsequently and desperately needs an Indian summer to get back on track. “I’d be very hopeful, without being confident,” jockey Joseph O’Brien commented. “He relaxes well, he travels, he’s got speed. I never thought he’d end up going a mile and a quarter this year, but that’s just the way things have worked out–our hand has been forced a little bit–but I’d be hopeful that he’d get it without saying he definitely would.”

One who is certain to line up whatever the ground conditions is ‘TDN Rising Star’ Free Eagle (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}), who has come a long way since being readily upstaged by Australia (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) in the Golden Fleece at this meeting two years ago. Moyglare Stud’s homebred returned to win the Kilternan by seven lengths on this evening 12 months ago and was third in the rain-afflicted G1 Champion S. at Ascot the following month. His only subsequent outing came at the latter venue when beating an unlucky The Grey Gatsby by a short head in the June 17 G1 Prince of Wales’s S., and as he is in the hands of the master target trainer Dermot Weld it seems of little consequence that he pitches up here off a near three-month absence. “We had a hold-up before [Royal] Ascot, but he put in an excellent performance to win his Group 1,” his trainer said. “He had a nice break after Ascot, his progress has been good and straightforward and we’re looking forward to the weekend. It’s very hard to put into pounds how much he has to improve, but he has to improve and I think it’s possible provided the ground is good-to-firm. Gleneagles is the champion miler of Europe, if not the world, and I’d be surprised if he doesn’t get the 10 furlongs. He’s a very relaxed horse and a high-class horse and Golden Horn is the champion.”

After the exploits of Arabian Queen at York, the

3-year-old fillies have enjoyed an upsurge in their profile and it is only natural that the entrepreneurial Jim Bolger has opted to try with his star of that sex, Pleascach (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}). Bouncing back from a below-par showing when fifth in the G1 Pretty Polly S. over this trip at The Curragh June 28 to win the Aug. 20 G1 Yorkshire Oaks over a mile and a half, Godolphin’s May 24 G1 Irish 1000 Guineas winner appears versatile over a range of trips and lacks nothing in the courage department. Beaten a half-length by Pleascach in the mile Curragh Classic, ‘TDN Rising Star’ Found (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) renews rivalry after a summer break and a confidence-restoring win in that track’s G3 Royal Whip S. over this trip Aug. 23.

Cirrus des Aigles has had an unusually quiet summer after his fourth in the G1 Prix d’Ispahan over an extended nine furlongs at Longchamp May 24, but it was only three weeks before that flop that the 9-year-old was winning the G1 Prix Ganay at this distance there. “Going to Ireland is something we had to do some time and now he is doing it, so I am very pleased,” Corine Barande-Barbe said. “He is looking better than ever at the moment. He is well and fresh and he was happy to go in the van to go the airport before he left. I think there is at least a bit of rain forecast, so we will see what arrives. I don’t mind too much. I am very happy with him, we are in the game now and we’ll see what happens.”