Joseph Returns to Classic Duty
Joseph O’Brien will be at the start of Saturday’s G1 Qipco 2000 Guineas at Newmarket after Aidan O’Brien confirmed ‘TDN Rising Star’ Ol’ Man River (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) for the mile Classic alongside favorite Gleneagles (Ire)(Galileo {Ire}). With Highland Reel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) set for next Sunday’s G1 Poule des des Poulains, the unbeaten G2 Beresford S. winner enters the fray as a notable second string for Ballydoyle, with O’Brien getting down to nine stone for the ride. Drawn in two with the stalls placed against the rail in a departure from the recent practice of occupying the center of the track, Susan Magnier’s son of the brilliant 2007 1000 Guineas heroine Finsceal Beo (Ire) (Mr. Greeley) is away from his stable companion, who will exit from 16 towards the outer under Ryan Moore. Since 2004, the Guineas has started from the middle but several field splits have seen the revision of the old policy with the addition of a false rail three meters off the permanent stand’s side rail at the three-furlong pole. In a wide-open renewal, tactics will be key and a division of the runners is still a distinct possibility with some leading contenders pitched out wide. Furthest from the rail is Godolphin’s supplementary entry Territories (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), who was third behind Gleneagles in the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at Longchamp on Arc day before being promoted above that colt into second. Booking his ticket here with a smooth performance winning that venue’s G3 Prix de Fontainebleau Apr. 12, the bay faces a potentially tricky situation attempting to overcome his draw. Sea the Stars (Ire) managed to win when coming from 17 of 17 six years ago, but early cover may be essential now that the stalls have moved back to the fence. Godolphin have opted to send the G3 Somerville Tattersall S. and G3 UAE 2000 Guineas winner Maftool (Hard Spun) and G1 Dewhurst S. scorer Belardo (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) to Longchamp next Sunday, with the latter one of the most high-profile scratchings due to ground conditions. The drying wind and lack of rain looks set to end the prospects of last year’s G1 Racing Post Trophy and G2 Royal Lodge S. winner Elm Park (GB) (Phoenix Reach {Ire}) making the line-up. Qatar Racing’s flagbearer has the alternative option of the G2 Dante S. at York May 14 and David Redvers, racing manager for Sheikh Fahad’s operation, was yesterday pessimistic about his participation at Newmarket.
“Andrew [Balding] is going to walk the course and wait and see how the first race pans out, but we’ve made no secret of the fact that he’s our Derby horse and there is no way Andrew is going to want to jar him up here,” he said. “He’s in phenomenal form and looks magnificent, but if the ground continues to dry out, the likelihood is that he’ll run in the Dante and then the Derby. The ground was plenty quick enough for him when he did his racecourse gallop at Newbury and although we’d love to run here, as there is no better trial for the Derby and particularly as we sponsor the race, I suspect realistically he’ll go to the Dante.”
Redvers noted Elm Park has come on physically from last year. “He looked very good when I saw him yesterday,” he said. “Physically, he looks the real deal and is unrecognizable from last year. I still have to pinch myself with regards to what he achieved last year.”
If Elm Park lines up, he will race from stall 14, next to Susan Roy and Cheveley Park Stud’s Dutch Connection (GB) (Dutch Art {GB} in 13, and William Buick has been called on to partner last year’s G3 Acomb S. scorer and G1 National S. third.
“He did very little wrong last year and he worked very well at the Craven meeting,” his rider commented. “He’s got a decent draw and he’s a pretty uncomplicated horse to ride who will get the trip. It’s wide-open and you could make a case for a lot of them. Gleneagles has the form from last year and Territories looks an exciting horse. It’s a good Guineas.”