Curlin ready for turf war

An audacious crack at the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe will move a step closer for Curlin this weekend if he wins the Man o’War Stakes at Belmont Park.

The reigning Horse of the Year makes his turf debut in the 500,000 event in New York on Saturday evening, and a victory will more than likely see him shipped to France in preparation for a crack at Europe’s premier event.

Trainer Steve Asmussen, brother of former jockey Cash, has already mooted a prep run in the Prix Foy at Longchamp on September 14, as not only does Curlin have to prove he can handle turf, he is also yet to race right-handed.

But if he comes through those tests with flying colours, the prospect of him taking on the likes of French super-filly Zarkava and Aidan O’Brien’s Ballydoyle representatives is firmly on the cards.

Curlin has worked on the turf at Churchill Downs, covering seven furlongs in a respectable one minute and 31 seconds, but he is unlikely to have things all his own way with fellow Breeders’ Cup winners Better Talk Now and Red Rocks in Saturday’s field.

“I think that’s the question we want answered this weekend – whether Curlin is of the calibre to be considered for the Arc on turf,” Asmussen said.

“If he can compete at this level on the turf and we get the race we expect, we will map out how to win the Arc with him.

“We don’t want to kid ourselves about his turf form. Curlin is well aware of where he is. If it was something he didn’t want to go for, he would have given us an indication.”