Alarazi can justify Oxx’s confidence
The Spectrum colt made a winning debut on the opening day of the flat at the Curragh last month and it is significant his shrewd handler believes him capable of stepping straight into this company.
Alarazi did his job nicely then, travelling sweetly throughout to beat Siege Of Ennis a comfortable three parts of a length.
Aidan O’Brien Admiralofthefleet is the obvious worry. But he has a 3lbs penalty for winning a Group Two at Ascot in September and Alarazi is likely to have a definite edge in fitness!
Brazilian Bride is the choice in the other Group Three, the Dimitrova 1000 Guineas Trial Stakes.
She ended her juvenile campaign with two cracking fourth placings in Group 1’s at the Curragh, to Holy Roman Emperor in the Phoenix Stakes and Miss Beatrix in the Moyglare Stud Stakes.
Kevin Prendergast trains Brazilian Bride and his Mores Wells, runner-up behind Soldier Of Fortune at Navan in October, a contest which has been working out nicely, can win the Drumderry Aggregate Maiden.
The frustrating Willie Mullins-trained Our Ben has been afforded a good opportunity in the valuable Imperial Call Chase at Cork today.
He is far from reliable at this stage, but is better than these and performed solidly enough over flights at Gowran Park in January when third to ill-fated Celestial Wave and Studmaster.
Virginia Woolf, a more than useful sort on the level for John Oxx, can take the Killetra (Mares) Maiden Hurdle. Her fourth to Pennyforurthoughts at Naas was a moderate start over jumps, but this surface should prove far more suitable.
The Powers’ Gold Cup at Fairyhouse tomorrow may be best left to Cailin Alainn, who has hit the deck in her last two races at Cheltenham. She is a good mare, however, and showed in the spring of last year that decent ground holds no fears for her.
Wins Now, fresh from a career-best effort at the Cheltenham Festival, can get back on the winning trail in the Rathbarry and Glenview Studs Festival Novice Hurdle.
Niall Madden’s gelding enjoyed little luck in running, but still finished a highly creditable fifth behind Ebaziyan in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.
Blazing Sky, who will handle the ground and slammed Candy Girl at Downpatrick last time, is the one to beat in the Irish Stallion Farms’ EBF (Mares) Novice Hurdle.
The nap vote falls on Top Of The Charts in the fiercely competitive Aramark Novice Handicap Hurdle. He seems reasonably well treated and has been crying out for a solid surface.
At Cork tomorrow, Albert Einstein, touched of by well-regarded Confuchias at Leopardstown in October in a Group Three, is hard to oppose in the Coolmore Spartacus Maiden.
The featured Murphys’ Handicap Hurdle can go to Peter Casey’s Charlies First, rested since taking seventh to Spring The Que in the Pierse Hurdle at Leopardstown in January.
