By Emma Berry
The G1 Investec Oaks on June 3 now seems to be the most likely target for Minding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who already has one Classic under her belt following her dominant victory over stable-mates Ballydoyle (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Alice Springs (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 QIPCO 1,000 Guineas.
While plans for Aidan O'Brien's leading 3-year-olds are far from certain, what does seem clear, however, is that the three fillies are unlikely to meet again in the short term. At a press day at Ballydoyle on Monday, the trainer said, “If Minding goes to the Oaks, Ballydoyle wouldn't go there. I suppose you would like to split them at this stage. She could go to the Curragh [for the G1 Irish 1,000 Guineas], but we've not had a runner in the French Oaks for a while. I think she could a mile to a 10-furlong filly.”
A trip to France is also an option for Alice Springs, who, like Ballydoyle, holds entries for Sunday's G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and the G1 Prix de Diane on June 19, while Gleneagle (Ire)'s sister Coolmore (Ire) is being primed for the Irish 1,000 Guineas.
Referring to Minding's appearance in the betting for the G1 Investec Derby, O'Brien insisted that the distaff option would be preferable for the filly for whom he still has stamina queries.
“It might be pitching her in too much to go and run against the colts when she doesn't have to. You can't say for sure that Minding will get a mile and a half,” he said.
As a sister to the mighty Found (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), there will doubtless be high hopes for listed winner Best In The World (Ire), whose Classic credentials are put to the test tomorrow at York.
Her trainer says, “She will run in the Musidora on Wednesday. She seemed a bit disappointing in the Salsabil at Navan last time, but Ryan [Moore] was very happy with her. It was a bit of a messy race––they hacked and then sprinted. She should be able to step up from that.”
Navan listed winner Pretty Perfect (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) heads to Naas tomorrow with the well-related How High The Moon (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) for the G3 Blue Wind S. O'Brien says of the former, “When we held her up on debut, she looked an ordinary filly, but her work has been better at home when in front than when held up. So we made the running with her in her two starts since then and she has been very good. Hopefully her next run will show us how good she is.”
Somehow (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) and Seventh Heaven (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who won last week's Cheshire Oaks and Lingfield Oaks Trial, look set to swerve Epsom after reportedly struggling to handle the demands of tight and undulating tracks at Chester and Lingfield respectively.
Classic Colts On The Comeback Trail
In typically self-deprecating fashion, Aidan O'Brien is still questioning whether his decision to add a tongue tie to champion 2-year-old Air Force Blue (War Front) for his assault on the G1 QIPCO 2,000 Guineas was to blame for colt's disappointing return, which he describes as “a dramatic failure”. Along with his regular workmate, the Guineas fourth Air Vice Marshal (War Front), Air Force Blue is likely to be seen next in the G1 Irish 2,000 Guineas on May 21.
O'Brien said, “There's always a possibility that [Air Force Blue] doesn't stay a mile, and even if it is the case that I over-trained him for the Guineas, he still might not stay a mile.
“I think anything I did for the 2,000 Guineas I won't do again, as it was a dramatic failure really. Everything was smooth all the way to Newmarket. He never disappointed in his work and the horse he was working with went on to finish fourth, but he didn't perform on the day.”
He continued, “We put the tongue tie on because in his second-last piece of work I was a bit shocked by how quick he was and I thought he'd struggle to get the mile if he did that at Newmarket. Sometimes when you put a tongue tie and a cross noseband on a horse it can make them slow down and back off a bit. It seemed to work well in his canters at home, but it just didn't work out at Newmarket.”
Adding that Air Force Blue could be dropped back in trip to contest the G1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot, the trainer said, “I still won't believe he's going to get a mile until I see it. I would imagine looking at his work recently that he's going to travel very strongly early on, but that's just his natural way of doing things. We've had horses that have disappointed in the 2,000 Guineas and come out and won the Irish 2,000 Guineas on their next start and hopefully he can be another one of them.”
Looking Forward To 'Something Very Special'
Aidan O'Brien could be accused of understatement when outlining plans for last year's G1 Breeders' Cup Turf winner Found (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who returned to winning ways in the G3 Mooresbridge S. recently and will head next to the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup on May 22.
He commented, “She's starting to turn into something very special. After the Tattersalls Gold Cup we'll have the option of the Coronation Cup or the Prince of Wales's and then no matter what she'll have a break after that. Then she'll come back and be trained for the autumn with the Arc in mind.”
Other Ballydoyle stars who could be seen at Royal Ascot include current Ascot Gold Cup favourite Order Of St George (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), whose 11-length victory in last season's G1 Irish St Leger put down an exciting marker for future top staying races around the world.
“He's going to go to Navan for a racecourse gallop and then if all goes well he might go for the Saval Beg S. and then to Ascot,” said O'Brien. “I didn't get to do too much with him through the winter so he was a bit behind but he's doing well now.”
Less of a known quantity to the trainer is the Australian champion 2-year-old Vancouver (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) who has been in Ireland for the last few months since joining O'Brien from Gai Waterhouse. The G1 Golden Slipper winner is making only a fleeting visit and will return to his native country after the G1 Darley July Cup.
“We're very excited about him but I know we haven't got a lot of time with him as he's going back to Australia,” said O'Brien. “We've pencilled in a run in the Greenlands S. He's very exciting at home. He's a very big horse–when you see him you're surprised by how well he did in Australia as a 2-year-old.”
He added, “It's going to take him a little bit of time to adjust but if he's going to go to Ascot he's going to have to get competitive fairly quickly. He's in everything there from five furlongs, six furlongs, a mile, and a mile and a quarter, but he's very quick and I'd say the Golden Jubilee is more likely.”
Following Vancouver south to Australia could be Bondi Beach (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who is being trained with a second tilt at the G1 Emirates Melbourne Cup as his long-term aim, while globe-trotter Highland Reel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is likely to notch further airmiles this season. Having been third in the G1 William Hill Cox Plate before winning the G1 Longines Hong Kong Vase last term and then making appearances at Meydan and Sha Tin earlier this year, Highland Reel's first major challenge of the European turf season is likely to come in the G1 Investec Coronation Cup on Derby day.
An intriguing addition to the Ballydoyle team is Zenyatta's unraced 3-year-old brother De Coronado (Street Cry), whose stature certainly made him stand out from the crowd when he appeared during second lot at Ballydoyle on Monday.
“He's probably the biggest horse we've ever had,” admitted O'Brien of the powerful colt who weighs in at more than 600kg.
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