GAVIN CROMWELL: It’s an exciting weekend for all of us at the yard with Quick Suzy going for Group 1 glory in the Prix Morny at Deauville this Sunday, along with Sunset Shiraz in the Group 2 Debutante Stakes a little closer to home.
Saturday – Curragh
We run Sunset Shiraz in the Group 2 Debutante Stakes (18:05pm), she’s still a maiden but she’s a lovely filly and was second the first day at Roscommon. The winner of that went and won a nursery at Galway and I think we can put a line through her run the last day at Bellewstown. We said we’d come here with only a small field and if we can pick up some black type it would be job done, if there is any more rain to come that would be music to our ears as well and she could outrun her price.
Pachmena is a couple of pounds out of the handicap in the fillies’ handicap (19:05pm), so we’re using the claim of Wesley Joyce. She was a very unlucky loser the last day at Sligo, and she’s as well as she was going into that race. This is a tougher assignment for her but she’s another that’s in very good form like the rest of ours at the moment and could run well at an each-way price.
Saturday – Killarney
Ilikedwayurthinkin runs in the Grade B Chase (16:35pm), his original aim was the Galway Blazers but he just missed out, so we’ve rerouted to here instead. He’s in good form as well and was entered in this race and also the beginners chase but we’ve decided to come for this as there’s better prize money on offer. He’ll have to improve on what he’s shown of late which has been disappointing, but on his day he is certainly capable so fingers crossed he can run well.
Sunday – Naas
Battle Of Benburn is our sole runner at Naas in the apprentice handicap (16:05pm). He comes back to the flat off a mark of 69 and we’ve decided to run him over the mile and quarter here so hopefully there’s a good pace on for an apprentice race. If there is, he should have an each-way chance.
Sunday – Deauville
Quick Suzy travelled over to France on Wednesday evening and arrived on Thursday, she seems to have settled in well and is ready to contend the Group 1 Prix Morny (14:50pm) on Sunday. She’s in good form and we’ve been happy with her work leading up to this.
It’s a big Group 1 and we’re hopeful that she’ll run well but Joseph O’Brien’s Velocidad is the one we’re most wary of. She looked good at the Curragh and is relatively unexposed. Regardless of what happens, we’re happy with our filly and she looks the one to beat on the back of her Royal Ascot win. It should be a cracking race and we’re really looking forward to it.
