Aidan O’Brien outlined plans for several of his Classic contenders yesterday at the Curragh where he worked over 30 horses after racing on the opening day of the Irish Flat Season writes JOHN SHERIDAN from BETDAQ.
The Ballydoyle team are regulars for work after racing on the opening day of the Flat Season as O’Brien sees it as a good opportunity for a day away for many of his big name contenders.
O’Brien was very bullish about several of his chances, not least of all that of Australia, his unbeaten colt that is currently favourite on BETDAQ for both the 2,000 Guineas and Epsom Derby.
Australia worked under Joseph O’Brien, in a group that also featured Dewhurst and Royal Ascot winner, War Command. Of Australia, the master of Ballydoyle gave a very positive comment about it saying; “He is the second best horse I have ever trained and the best was not a flat horse, Istabraq.
“Australia looks very good – he just has to prove it on the track. I stand over everything I said about this horse last year. He’s a lovely-moving horse and we always knew he’d want good ground. He just sauntered up there today.
“Joseph was very happy with him there – he hated the soft ground and Joseph said whatever you do, don’t run him on soft. I made that mistake with Camelot and I don’t want that to happen again. He goes straight to the Guineas and physically he has done wonderfully.”
Although Australia heads the betting, War Command is also a possible for the Newmarket Classic however, it is more likely that he will go to Longchamp for the French equivalent; “War Command wouldn’t like soft ground either. We are training him and Australia for the Guineas, but if Australia goes to Newmarket then he could go to France. War Command is very well. Colm said he didn’t like the soft there today, but that would be the same for all progeny of War Front.”
On the Fillies side, O’Brien has leading 1,000 Guineas hope, Tapestry in his sights and she is currently priced at 7.2 on BETDAQ; “I was very happy with Tapestry, she’s as forward as we would like at this stage and we can now give her an easy time and go straight for the (1000) Guineas.”
Also among the Ballydoyle string was the Classic winner mare Chicquita, who was bought by the Coolmore maestros for €6,000,000 at Goffs last year in the dispersal of the horses owned by Paul Makin. The daughter of Montjeu won the Irish Oaks at The Curragh last July and is being aimed initially at the Yorkshire Oaks; “We are thinking of the Yorkshire Oaks for Chicquita, and a run before somewhere. She’s entered in the Tattersalls Gold Cup, but it would be only an entry. We are taking our time with her and looking at the second half of the year. It was just a day away for her.”
In winning the Irish Oaks, Chicquita beat Venus De Milo, who is now a stablemate and O’Brien also gave an update on her plans along with St Leger winner, Leading Light; “Venus De Milo has won a Group Three so we will be looking at least at Group Twos with her and like a lot of Duke Of Marmalades, she could improve a lot from three to four.
“Leading Light will be trained for the Ascot Gold Cup, and may start off in Navan in the Vintage Crop Stakes, and there’s also the Saval Beg in Leopardstown.”
Another big name to enter the Ballydoyle string this year, is American Grade 1 winner Verrazano who comes to Tipperary from Todd Pletcher and he is being aimed at Royal Ascot; ‘’ Verrazano’s main aim is going to be the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot. He’ll have a run before, hopefully, if that ground is OK.
“Soft ground will probably rule out the Lockinge. He won’t run in bad ground. If we can’t run him, we can always take him away to gallop. We’re still learning about him.”
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