Exciting summer of Flat racing in prospect
They attended a function put on by Horse Racing Ireland, Leopardstown and the Curragh to preview the summer Flat racing programme in Ireland.
In the wake of O'Brien's Newmarket Guineas double, HRI chief executive Brian Kavanagh said: "Following such an extraordinary National Hunt season we hardly dared to dream that our Flat horses would also deliver victories in the top contests at home and abroad.
"One might justifiably have said that the King George, the Champion Hurdle, the Champion Chase, the Gold Cup and the Grand National were reward enough.
"But the early Classic trial successes in Britain for Jim Bolger and David Wachman indicated exciting prospects for Irish Flat racing also. John Oxx and Dermot Weld have also set down some early markers for the year ahead.
"Aidan O'Brien's historic double success in the English Guineas over the weekend has already ensured that we will have a Flat campaign to celebrate in 2005."
Kavanagh added: "Summer is the most important season for attendances at Irish racing, accounting for almost 60% of the year's total.
"The racecourses have put a great deal of work into developing customer-friendly fixtures with innovative attractions."
In 2005, total prize money for the Flat season will exceed €25 million.
Aidan O'Brien admitted that the next couple of weeks are crucial as the Ballydoyle yard builds up to the Derby and Oaks at Epsom.
He will run some of his Classic hopefuls in various trials which should make the picture clearer.
The victories of Footstepsinthesand and Virginia Waters in Newmarket's 2000 and 1000 Guineas respectively showed that O'Brien has plenty of talent at his disposal.
Of Footstepsinthesand, he said: "He cantered today and seemed well. He is out of a Rainbow Quest mare but has a lot of speed in his pedigree and is a big, naturally quick horse.
"With a horse that has got that much speed you don't know if they'll be able to stay.
"Over the next couple of weeks we'll run our horses in the Derby trials and hopefully find our Derby horse, and make a decision about which one will run."
The plan for Virginia Waters is to run her nearer home in the Boylesports Irish 1000 Guineas at the Curragh on May 22 before sending her back to England for the Vodafone Oaks on June 3.
Said the trainer: "She is by Sadler's Wells so people were worried about the fast ground at Newmarket, but Kieren was always keen on her and the rest is history.
"We'll have a look at the fillies' Classic at the Curragh. Most of my Oaks horses have a prep run, go to England for the 1000, back to Ireland for our 1000 and then return to England for the Oaks."
Azamour could be yet another top performer to join a number of racing luminaries in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh on May 22, according to John Oxx.
With Bago, Doyen, North Light and Grey Swallow also possibles for the extended 10-furlong contest, the presence of Oxx's Irish Champion Stakes winner could help make it the race of the season.
Surprisingly kept in training as a four-year-old by owner the Aga Khan, Azamour will be having his first start since finishing third in the Newmarket Champion Stakes last October. Oxx reports the colt to be progressing nicely, but would not want the ground to be too testing. The Kildare handler said: "Azamour is in in good form and is on course for the Tattersalls Gold Cup.
"The weather is a worry and there is no sign of improvement. I just hope it gets better.
"He is coming along nicely though and is a smashing big horse. He's still above his racing weight, but his gallop at the Curragh yesterday should bring him on.
"After that we'll probably go for the Prince Of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot at York and then we'll see.
Meanwhile Irish Derby winner Grey Swallow is to be campaigned in America towards the end of the season with the Breeders' Cup as a late target.
The four-year-old is likely to make his seasonal debut in the Group One Tattersalls Gold Cup over an extended 10 furlongs at the Curragh on May 22 unless the ground comes up soft, in which case his trainer Dermot Weld may run Cairdeas instead.
Weld said: "Grey Swallow worked yesterday after racing at the Curragh and while he's not as effective on soft ground, he doesn't like it firm just good ground.
"He's done well from three to four but is probably a little bit behind. He will improve from the Tattersalls as I can only do so much at home with the ground the way it is.
"We'll then keep him to a mile and a half this season, running in races like the Hardwicke and the King George.
"He will go to the US for the later part of the season and will probably take in the Breeders' Cup."
Cairdeas's win over Yeats in Monday's Mooresbridge Stakes at the Curragh delighted Weld, who said: "He's a horse I've always liked. He's got talent and he's getting better and better."
