Olympic chasing Curragh glory

Olympic Glory will aim to rebuild his reputation in the Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas at the Curragh on Saturday week.

Richard Hannon’s colt was sent off favourite for the French version last weekend, but a bad draw meant he was unable to land a blow.

Last season he proved his class by beating all bar Dawn Approach in six races, including in Group One company on Arc day at Longchamp.

“You can put a line through Olympic Glory’s French excursion,” the Wiltshire handler told his website, www.richardhannonracing.co.uk.

“He was drawn in the cheap seats and could never get competitive, but at least he came back without having had a hard race, so we have decided to take him to Ireland, where the stiff mile should suit him well.”

Olympic Glory will be joined in Ireland by stablemate by Van Der Neer, who stayed on in taking fashion to be third behind Dawn Approach at Newmarket.

“The Curragh’s uphill finish should also play to the strengths of Van Der Neer, who was staying on better than anything when third to Dawn Approach in our Guineas,” said Hannon.

“We walked off the stand at Newmarket thinking Van Der Neer might have earned himself a shot at the Derby, but the colts owner, Saeed Manana, is keen to go to Ireland instead, which is fine by us, especially as Richard Hughes made the point that he had not handled the bend too well when winning at Lingfield last month.”