Magician can bounce back
He was one of the horses Aidan O’Brien sent to Dubai last month, where he contested the Group 1 Sheema Classic over a mile and a half at Meydan.
Magician only finished sixth of 15 behind Gentildonna, but was beaten just three lengths, after having a far from a clear passage in the straight.
Last season the Galileo colt put up two tremendous performances to win the Irish 2000 Guineas here and the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita. This represents a gentle warm up, as he prepares to head for Royal Ascot.
If Magician is hard to oppose then so is O’Brien’s once-raced The Great War in the Most Improved EBF Race for juveniles. He too is reportedly Royal Ascot bound, having cruised to victory on his debut at Tipperary 11 days ago.
Dermot Weld’s Flying Jib is the choice in the Group 3 Canford Cliffs EBF Athasi Stakes. Pat Smullen is suspended today, but Kevin Manning has been booked and the selection is the form horse, on her defeat of Chicago Girl and subsequent winner, Dazzling, in a Listed event at headquarters in October.
The nap vote falls on David Wachman’s Danish Duke in the concluding six furlongs Maiden.
He has been absent since finishing third behind Gold Peregrine and stable companion, Booker, successful in the meantime, at Naas last June. Danish Duke is clearly ready to go, however, having missed a recent engagement at Gowran Park due to the soft ground.
At Down Royal, Michael Winters’ Jansboy, who ran well behind last week’s Punchestown winner, Operating, and Kashline at Cork can deliver in the Dark Horse Wine Bar Beginners Chase.
