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@Kwadan I would think it very likely that Heffernan will take the number 1 Ballydoyle ride (whichever horse they deem it to be), and I would also think Dettori will be in the mix to take one of their rides. Donnacha I reckon gets the third choice.
I thought Wootton might run in the Djebel but he’s not in it. I have heard zero about his plans for this season. Alex Pantall was said to be very excited about him but there hasn’t been a dickie bird.
The fillies Prix Imprudence doesn’t excite me much. Worth keeping an eye out at ParisLongchamp on Sunday for the Prix La Force. I have Study Of Man in as a horse to follow this year and the once raced son of Deep Impact is entered in the Epsom Derby. He and runner-up Near Gold from the Freddie Head stable, pulled 5 lengths clear of their field in their debut race. Near Gold went on to win his maiden by 3 lengths next time. Near Gold is also entered in the Epsom Derby.
Although these two French horses are only maiden winners and well behind on RPRs for now, they will surely be expected to come forward. Collateral form suggests they are behind Wootton.
Thanks for the good crack. Time for me to move on. Be lucky.
Wootton’s plan last month was the Prix de Fontainebleau before the french Guineas but not sure when this month the PDF is?
I thought Wootton would go to Newmarket because Godolphin have nothing with any real chance there outwith Wootton. If they are banking on Key Victory, they can forget it, the stats are wildly against him.
I’ll have a cover bet on Wootton for the French Guineas.
Cheers Kev.
Thanks for the good crack. Time for me to move on. Be lucky.
Re Sacred Life, do we know for certain that he was outpaced, or was he just showing signs of inexperience? I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt and assert that he was just green. Either way, he’ll have an extra furlong in the Guineas to wind up that devastating finishing kick. If he does get outpaced coming into the dip, it will take a a very good one to hold him off if he comes with that late charge. The favourite, Saxon Warrior, doesn’t give me the impression that he is the most naturally quick himself, so it could go to the colt that finishes best.
His ability to act on faster ground is more of a question mark for me at this stage, rather than a genuine concern. And as I’ve said already, it looks entirely possible we will have a soft ground Guineas this year.
Sacred Life has opened 13/8 for the Djebel tomorrow, which is bigger than I expected in what looks a pretty weak renewal.
I’ve been hounding the bookies for a price on him to win tomorrow and at Newmarket, but the only one to offer me a price was William Hill, and them a measly 20/1! That is rank value considering he is 20/1 in places for the Guineas alone. The unadjusted odds for the double would be 55.0.
He’s short enough at evens. I hope Woodmax 9/1 and Diceroll 16/1 give a decent account of themselves.
Lovely shout, Muggins only in name this time
Sacred Life needs further based on my two watches of the Djebel that just ran.
well done muggins, think Sacred Life had a ten pound penalty when Jamie Lynch said he is a monster.
I thought he didn’t look like he was enjoying it and not helping his jockey, agree with Kev probably needs furtherI said just after Sacred Life’s third race that I was concerned about the form because there was definitely a phase of the race where his jockey was quite hard at work.
I have seen that type of performance so many times over 35 years of watching Horse Racing and it’s always cast doubt in my mind.
I didn’t place any bets today and I can’t recall if I backed Dice Roll last season but I have a nagging feeling I may have been on when he was 4th.
Sacred Life’s trainer immediately ruled out a trip to Newmarket and the French Guineas will be his target. I doubt other stables dropped to their knees worrying about Sacred Life after that effort.
I don’t know quite why it is, but certain horses who get into trouble early in their races but come through strongly late always seem to get caught out later.
Thanks for the good crack. Time for me to move on. Be lucky.
Extremely disappointing, there is no two ways about it. He never seemed to travel a yard, and his signature finishing kick just was not there.
Its fair enough to suggest he may want further, and his pedigree certainly suggests as much, but on last seasons form he really should have been winning that. He simply wasn’t the same horse.
It may be too soon to write him off completely, but my own early impression is that little colt hasn’t trained on, which unfortunately happens all to often with horses his size.
I don’t think its fair to say he was overrated on last years form though, Alba Power – who was beaten a similar distance by both Sacred Life and Wootton – has since come out and won very impressively at Chantilly this season.
Back to the drawing board – I’ve heard some well crafted arguments re Expert Eye of late, and I’m starting to agree that the 11/1 is more than a little enticing.
Aiden O’Brien seemed reasonably sure that Gustav Klimt will run in the 2000 Guineas Trial at Leopardstown on Saturday. He was less certain that The Pentagon would run in the Ballysax later in the day though.
I am not sure it is a good idea to be running these colts, with the ground given as Heavy at the moment.
The Ballysax has other entries from the O’Brien yard, including Kew Gardens, Delano Roosevelt and Nelson, who looked like a Rizla paper might cover the trio last season.
The 2000 Guineas trial sees US Navy Flag and Murillo entered but I doubt they will like the heavy going and it could be that Kenya forms a more likely rival, along with Imaging, from the Weld stable.
Orderofthegarter landed the trial last year and it is hoped that the field size is not dragged right down by the state of the going.
The fillies trial sees a host of Aiden’s “B team” entered and Jessica Harrington’s Alpha Centauri is also entered. It seems unlikely that the Albany Stakes runner up would run on the current going, given that the trainer stated she hated the soft ground in the Moyglare. The Harrington stable were badly out of form going into the Moyglare meeting and it would be interesting to see how she goes this year given better ground.
I have a bad feeling about Gustav Klimt for this weekend if he does run. It’s popping season and I just feel the colt is too short for the 2000 Guineas when you consider everything. Happy to be wrong though!
Thanks for the good crack. Time for me to move on. Be lucky.
The Prix Fontainebleau sees six left in Sunday’s ParisLongchamp race.
O’Brien had six entered but relies solely on Rostropovich now. Olmedo and Wootton are the ones who head the market for the French 2000 Guineas and Wootton is still entered at Newmarket for now.
O’Brien probably sends Rostropovich as a gauge to what his A-Team may face later in the season.
Territories won the Fontainebleau in 2015 before finishing runner-up to Gleneagles at Newmarket and Brametot won it last year before winning the French Guineas.
At Leopardstown on Saturday there are 9 left in the Guineas Trail. O’Brien has 4 of them, US Navy Flag, Gustav Klimt, Kenya and Murillo. Dermot Weld’s Imaging is also in the mix. Jessica Harrington has Brother Bear, who lost his way after starting well last season and Landshark, who made a good debut before being steamrollered by US Navy Flag into a remote second next time.
Thanks for the good crack. Time for me to move on. Be lucky.
Olmedo v Wootton is a nice race on Sunday. Leopardstown is let down by the conditions unfortunately, Kenya would be the one to interest me in that.
Just 4 runners in the Leopardstown Trial and three of them are O’Brien’s.
Ryan Moore is on Gustav Klimt and the horse with lesser form but more scope is favourite at 13/8. US Navy Flag is the best from last season but has to make do with Seamie in the saddle and a best price of 11/4.
Kenya won’t mind the ground and is unexposed, you can get 7/2 if you see him as a danger, with Dermot Weld’s Imaging rank outsider of the four colts on 7/1, despite ground not being a problem and having a run under his belt already.
I probably won’t play in this one.
In the Ballysax The Pentagon with Ryan up is generally Evens favourite and he signed off with a good effort in the Racing Post Trophy after being on the drift like The Kontiki on the lead up to the Doncaster race. Nelson has Donnacha on board and is generally 9/4, while Delano Roosevelt is 4/1 despite Seamie being in the saddle. Lethal Steps and Burgundy Boy complete the five runner field and will have to go some to be in the mix.
The Pentagon is still in the Guineas betting but it looks unlikely as the Ballysax in these conditions will look little like a Guineas trial. I am sure they would have found a different target were he likely to go to Newmarket.
I don’t feel like a bet in the small field on the soft ground but The Pentagon needs to be winning this to justify his short price for The Derby. An impressive win surely sees him go favourite, if only temporarily.
Thanks for the good crack. Time for me to move on. Be lucky.
I couldn’t believe Imaging’s price when I first saw it. It was no surprise to see Gustav Klimt open as the favourite, but I thought the Weld colt would be disputing second favouritism with U S Navy Flag at around 3/1. 7/1 looks massive to me.
Kenya aside – who looks more of a Derby contender to me – surely the fact that Gustav and USNF are running here rather than going straight to the Guineas means only one thing; they’re not fit.
Imaging has race fitness on his side, and I remember pointing out that Kevin Ryan thought he looked quite big the last day, and would come on a lot for whatever he did in that race. I was impressed by his gears that day, and if that run has indeed sharpened him up, I think he can really make it pay on that Heavy ground. I expect Kenya to do the donkey work, although I wouldn’t be against Imaging making his own running either. He broke his maiden very impressively doing exactly that.
In terms of ante post positions, an impressive victory from Gustav Klimt would be the ideal result, and would see him go to Newmarket as the clear second favourite, if not the favourite. Imaging getting outpaced and staying on at the end so that the Derby suddenly enters Weld’s equations, would also be a good result for me.
I don’t think that will happen though, I think Imaging will win.
Gustav Klimt did the business, a shade cosily in the end, after taking time to gather momentum. He had been weak overnight, going out to 5/2, but was returned 6/4 Fav.
Imaging was runner up but again looks vulnerable to a finisher with his extravagant action seeming one-paced, if powerful with it. He’s a big, strong horse. Imaging ended up half his opening odds at 7/2, which was always going to be the case with a run under his belt and no worries about the going.
Kenya was favourite during the night, coming in to 9/4 from 7/2 but he weakened quickly today, well thrashed and not living up to his 2/1 price tag.
US Navy Flag was friendless, right out to 6/1 and he was plum last, never landing a blow. Big questions for him after that.
Gustav Klimt is as low as 4/1 for the Guineas but that’s nonsense in my opinion. Kenya was pushed out to 66/1 and US Navy Flag 25/1 if you like fairytale comebacks.
Thanks for the good crack. Time for me to move on. Be lucky.
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