Nelson tackles Futurity contest

Horatio Nelson will bid to give Aidan O’Brien his fourth win in five years in the Galileo European Breeders’ Fund Futurity Stakes at the Curragh tomorrow.

The unbeaten Danehill colt has not raced since running out a comprehensive winner of the Superlative Stakes at Newmarket’s July meeting and he faces just four rivals in the Group Two contest.

Horatio Nelson is the 16-1 second favourite behind stablemate George Washington for next year’s 2000 Guineas and will be bidding to emulate Oratorio (2004), Van Nistelrooy (2002) and Hawk Wing (2001), who have all won this race for O’Brien in recent years.

When making his debut at the Curragh in June, O’Brien’s juvenile had Michael Halford’s Violani just over a length back in third and the pair will clash again tomorrow.

Violani has since opened his account at Tipperary and returned to that track earlier this month when going down by three-quarters of a length to Heatseeker, and Halford believes his charge is on the up.

“He seems in very good form and it was a very good run the last day in Tipperary behind David Wachman’s horse,” Halford told At The Races.

“There are only five runners this weekend and I am hoping for a good run from him. He seems to be progressing and he came on from his win in Tipperary to his last run and his home work has been good, so he is going the right way.”

The once-raced Naas winner Rekaab will represent Kevin Prendergast while Galantas, who broke his duck at the fourth time of asking at Galway last month, completes the home defence for Jim Bolger.

Eoghan O’Neill fields the only British runner in the shape of impressive York maiden winner Silent Times, who has since chased home the smart Close To You in a conditions race at Newbury.