Star can shine brightly over two-furlong longer trip
Take the Group 1 Keeneland Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh tomorrow. The state of the ground is going to play a major part in the outcome, but at the time of writing it is virtually impossible to know what it will be.
The ground yesterday was described as yielding and set to dry out even more today. But the forecast is not favourable for tomorrow, so where does that leave us?
On a decent surface, I have little doubt that Aidan O’Brien’s Cristoforo Colombo is the most likely winner.
His close third behind Dawn Approach and Olympic Glory, in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot, is easily the best piece of form brought to the table by any of the nine candidates. But that was on good ground and, when subsequently meeting heavy at the Curragh, he got slammed to the tune of a length and three parts by Probably.
On the basis the ground at least won’t be as bad as the last time, Cristoforo Colombo gets the vote.
Famous Name and Born To Sea promise a fascinating tussle in the Group 2 Keeneland Royal Whip Stakes.
Logically, I suppose, the vote should go to Born To Sea, considering he is 2lbs well in with his rival and produced the performance of his young life when making a real race of it with Camelot in the Irish Derby. That said, however, Famous Name will be a tough nut to crack, comes into the contest in great shape and is preferred.
John Oxx’s Harasiya is the one to beat in the other Group 2 on the card, the Keeneland Debutante Stakes.
She won a modest maiden at Leopardstown and then returned to that track, stepping way up in class in a Group 3.
Harasiya made the transition in some style, cruising to a two and a half lengths defeat of My Special J’s, who renews rivalry on the same terms.
The nap vote falls on Kevin Prendergast’s Starbright in the Foleys’ Antiques EBF Fillies Maiden.
She was beaten a length into second by David Wachman’s well-regarded newcomer, Hint Of A Tint, over six furlongs on this track last month and tackling a mile now should be just the ticket.
Much attention will centre on Starspangledbanner in the Patrick P O’Leary Memorial Phoenix Sprint Stakes.
He returns to the racecourse, having suffered fertility problems at stud, and, at his best, would make short work of this opposition. But a watching brief is surely the most prudent policy for now and Michael Halford’s ultra-smart Invincible Ash is put forward as a more reliable proposition.
