Bated breath at Ballydoyle
KIEREN FALLON is virtually certain to ride Footstepsinthesand, with Johnny Murtagh aboard Oratorio, in the English 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on Saturday.
“Kieren is favouring Footstepsinthesand”, reported Aidan O’Brien, on a magnificent morning, as hordes of Irish and British press descended on the most famous training establishment in Europe.
There is no doubt Oratorio’s juvenile form is far stronger, but some sparkling homework on the part of Footstepsinthesand is swaying Fallon towards the son of Giant’s Causeway. Footstepsinthesand is unbeaten in two races, at Naas and Leopardstown. He started at Naas in October, as the supposed Ballydoyle “second string.’ He was partnered by Colm O’Donoghue, with then stable jockey, Jamie Spencer, on Olympic.
The layers put Olympic in as favourite, but soon realised they had it totally wrong and Footstepsinthesand was backed down to market-leader, 10-1 to 3-1. He strode home four and a half lengths clear of Olympic.
Footstepsinthesand then stepped up in class to easily land a Group Three at Leopardstown eight days later. Oratorio had a busier time, taking four of his seven races. A Group 3, Group 2 and a Group 1 winner, he finished with a creditable second behind Shamardal in the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket.
O’Brien explained that the pair are completely different at home. “Footstepsinthesand is a big, rangy horse and a natural athlete. He’s full of enthusiasm and trains himself. He’s free-moving and a generous worker.
“All Oratorio does is eat and sleep. He is a very lazy worker and will only do what you ask him to do. But he’s a hardy customer and we are happy with him.”
This is very much a year of transition for Ballydoyle, particularly with Fallon newly installed. They are about to embark on a big change in direction and challenge for some off the major prizes at Chester.
Heading the team will, arguably, be their leading Epsom Derby candidate, the once-raced Gypsy King. A son of Sadler’s Well, he has only run once, easily landing his maiden at the back-end of last season on terrible ground at Leopardstown.
“The plan is to go for the Dee Stakes with him”, said O’Brien. “He had a little setback about six weeks ago, and didn’t scope right. He was working great before that and is again now. He will be a green enough horse to be taking to Chester.”
Other Chester probables are Almighty in the Chester Vase, Coconut Beach in the Chester Cup and Acropolis in the Ormonde Stakes.
Acropolis is interesting, having stepped way up on previous form when fourth behind Bago in the Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp in October. O’Brien could also run the two-year-old Where’s That Tiger, given kid-glove treatment by Fallon to win by a short head first time up at the Curragh.
“He could go back to the Curragh on Monday for a winners of one, but if not then it will be the Lily Agnes at Chester,” said O’Brien.
Two others who will be on their travels are Yehudi, successful in his first two races at home last season and then beaten three parts of a length into second in a Group One at Saint Cloud, and Albert Hall, second to Motivator in the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster.
“Yehudi will go for the Lingfield Derby Trial and Albert Hall to the Dante at York”, said O’Brien.
It will be a little while before we see Ad Valorem, rated joint top on 122 with Godolphin’s Dubawi in the Irish classification last season. A son of Danzig, he’s unbeaten in three races, culminating in a Group One victory in the Middle Park at Newmarket.
“He might have a run before Ascot,” said O’Brien. “He loves fast ground. He’s a fast horse and might not get a mile.”
The trainer’s Epsom Oaks hope, Kitty O’Shea, so impressive when scoring by six length on her reappearance at the Curragh, is giving cause for concern. Revealed O’Brien: “She was a little bit off on Saturday. We can’t really find anything wrong, she may have a problem with a foot or have a little muscle twist.”
She spent yesterday morning swimming and the Musidora at York is the plan, all being well.
O’Brien spoke in glowing terms about Tiger Dance, a full-brother to Giant’s Causeway and easy winner of his only race at Leopardstown in September. “He has always shown a lot at home and has done marvellously. He wants fast ground and might start in the Irish 2,000 Guineas.”
Grand Central too won his only race, at Leopardstown and, will represent the yard in the Derrinstown at Leopardstown. Emerald Cat scored at the first time of asking at Leopardstown earlier in the month, while Bonanza is an unraced son of Danehill.
“Kieren liked Emerald Cat a lot and he runs in the Tetrarch at the Curragh on Monday’, said O’Brien. “Bonanza is a nice horse and will run in a maiden the same day.”
Pride of place among the older horses has to go to Yeats, one-time Epsom Derby favourite, but absent since taking the three-runner Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial at Leopardstown last May.
“He will start in the Moorebridge Stakes at the Curragh on Monday’’, confirmed O’Brien. “Everything has gone great with him and he could go for the Coronation Cup at Epsom.”
Then there’s the enigmatic Antonius Pius, who will make his seasonal debut in the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury.
Airwave, regarded as a sprinter in many quarters, will step up to a mile for the Ridgewood Pearl Stakes at the Curragh.
Ace, a creditable fourth, promoted to third, in a Group One behind Bago at Longchamp on Sunday, will now be aimed at the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh.
“Kieren thinks he is a genuine Group One horse”, said O’Brien.
The body language between O’Brien and Fallon was impressive. “Kieren wants to be here all the time,” said O’Brien. “He’s either here or over at David Wachman’s. He’s a great horseman and in terrific shape, physically and mentally. I’ve never seen a jockey to love horses so much. He is so conscious all the time of the next day.”
