Oratorio looks percentage bet in 2000 Guineas
All he does at home is eat and sleep according to his handler, Aidan O’Brien, and the son of Danehill gets the nod on the basis his first run of the campaign will have woken him up.
Oratorio finished fourth in the English 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, behind stable companion Footstepsinthesand, after taking an eternity to hit top gear.
Indeed, he was stone last with two furlongs to go, before finishing with a terrific flourish. Second was Rebel Rebel, with Dubawi fifth and Democrat Deficit sixth.
Dubawi was the big disappointment of that classic. A brilliant juvenile, he was reportedly flying on the lead-in to Newmarket.
He hung badly left when the pressure was applied, however, and a watching brief seems best for the moment.
Kinnaird and Airwave promise an interesting tussle for the Group Two Ridgewood Pearl Stakes.
Airwave is all class, but I harbour doubts about her getting this stiff mile and Kinnaird, runner-up behind Monturani here at the back-end of last seasn, is preferred. It will be surprise if she is asked to go on a fair way out by Michael Kinane.
Zeroberto, a useful dual-purpose horse for Dermot Weld, looks nicely weighted in the competitive Boylesports’ Play The If In Life Handicap and gets the nap.
Back To Paris, who landed an old-fashioned gamble earlier in the week at Fairyhouse, can make light of a mandatory 5lbs penalty in the Boylesports’ Fon-A-Bet Handicap.
At the Curragh tomorrow Virgina Waters gets a confident vote to complete a major weekend for Ballydoyle in the Boylesports’ Irish 1000 Guineas.
She looked a high-class filly when taking the English equivalent at Newmarket, quickening in style to beat Maids Causeway by two and a half lengths.
The Group One Tattersalls Gold Cup is a contest well worth travelling a long way to see, bringing together some cracking older horses.
The vote, though, has to fall on Arc hero Bago, who has already underlined his current well-being by winning this season.
Bago returned last month to Longchamp, the scene of his Arc success, and came out victorious again despite conditions being against him.
“He ran fine that day,” reported trainer Jonathan Pease yesterday.
“He only did just enough but he won when the ground was very heavy and there was a messy pace.
“He’s been fine since. His pacemaker (Imago Mundi) should set a decent pace and I hope he will run nicely.”
Scorpion created a huge impression when scoring first time up at Leopardstown and is the choice in the Gallinule Stakes.
George Washington, who ran very green when third on his debut at Newmarket, is hard to oppose in the Boylesports’ 1800221321 Maiden.
Helvetio, who cost punters a bundle when beaten three parts of a length by Swiss Cottage at Naas a week ago, is napped to redress the balance in the boylesports.com Maiden.
