Ballydoyle leave eight in Irish 2000 Guineas
A total of 21 possibilities were left in after yesterday’s forfeit and supplementary stage, including eight from Ballydoyle. Two horses, David Loder’s Desert Destiny and Paul D’Arcy’s Indian Haven, were supplemented at a cost of 40,000.
The eight Ballydoyle horses are Catcher In The Rye, Dalcassian, France, Great Pyramid, Salt Lake City, Solskjaer, Statue Of Liberty and Tomahawk.
Is is expected that Catcher In The Rye will spearhead the O’Brien challenge and be partnered by Michael Kinane. The son of Danehill ran the race of his young life in the French equivalent earlier in the month, powering home to finish a length second behind Clodovil.
Desert Destiny was fifth in that French 2000 Guineas, while Indian Haven enjoyed no luck in running when an unflattering 14th at Newmarket in the Sagitta 2000 Guineas.
D’Arcy reports Indian Haven in top form. Said D’Arcy: “He did a sparkling piece of work on Saturday and that was enough to supplement him. We checked him over since and he’s 110 per cent.
“He’s an Indian Ridge, so soft ground wouldn’t be a worry, and his dam, Madame Dubois, and that side of the family all liked soft ground too.’’
O’Brien’s Statue Of Liberty, who has not been seen since winning at Royal Ascot last year, and Tomahawk, another who met trouble in running when eighth at Newmarket, are also entered, although Statue Of Liberty is also in the Weatherbys Ireland Greenlands Stakes over six furlongs on the same card. Other British-trained representatives include Sir Michael Stoute’s Kalaman, Makhlab from Barry Hills’ yard, the Mick Channon-trained Engish 2000 Guineas runner-up Zafeen and the Michael Bell-trained Saturn.
Dermot Weld confirmed the Cork Maiden winner, Evolving Tactics, would run. Said Weld: “I was very pleased with the way he worked this morning. As you saw at Cork, he loves fast ground. But whatever the ground, he will take his chance.’’
Cashmans bet on the 2000 Guineas: 4 Tout Seul, A.P O’Brien stable, 6 Indian Haven, Kalaman, 13-2 Zafeen, 7 Desert Destiny, 10 Evolving Tactics, 11 Audience, 12 Makhlab, Napper Tandy, Saturn, 25 bar.
Cashmans have also opened a book on the 1000 Guineas at the Curragh on Sunday and, hardly surprisingly, make Six Perfections (Johnny Murtagh) a real hot-pot. They bet: 1-3 Six Perfections, 7-1 Walayef, 10-1 Tante Rose, A.P’O’Brien stable (including English Oaks favourite, Yesterday), 12-1 Dimitrova, 14-1 Danaskaya, 20-1 bar.
Dermot Weld will be liberally represented at the Curragh over the weekend and, as well as Evolving Tactics and Dimitrova in the classics, will also run Steel Light, In Time’s Eye and Multazem.
Steel Light, easy winner of a maiden at headquarters last time, will do duty in Saturday’s Listed Marble Hill Stakes. “He’s a good two-year-old and the plan is to run’’, said Weld. “Only if the ground was very, very testing would he miss the race.’’
In Time’s Eye, beaten a length by High Chaparral in last year’s Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial at Leopardstown, will make his seasonal debut in Sunday’s Group One Tattersalls Gold Cup. “He’ll be doing his best, but will benefit from the outing’’, revealed his handler.
Multazem, who created a big impression when making a winning debut at the Curragh last month, will contest Sunday’s Airlie Stud Silver Stakes. “He’s a nice horse and should run a big race’’, said Weld. He also had an upbeat bulletin on Epsom Derby favourite, Refuse To Bend. “He’s well, perfect and ticking over nicely. We are just hoping for a little ease in the ground at Epsom.’’
