O'Brien hails 'lovely' Scandinavia after cruising to Vintage Crop Stakes at Navan
SWEDE SUCCESS: Scandinavia and Ryan Moore win for trainer Aidan O'Brien. Pic: Healy Racing
Scandinavia announced himself again with a straightforward triumph in the BAR 1 Betting Vintage Crop Stakes at Navan.
Aidan O’Brien’s Justify colt won both the Goodwood Cup and the St Leger last term, proving himself to be a force to be reckoned with at the top level over a staying trip.
Under Ryan Moore he was the 11-10 favourite when returning to action at Listed level, and a length-and-a-quarter win saw him installed as the 2-1 favourite for the Gold Cup at Ascot.
O’Brien said: “That was lovely, Ryan was delighted with him, he said he was very comfortable throughout the race.
“He’s a big horse, very relentless and he’s always coming home. He’s by Justify and he has that big, long relentless stride.
“He always went like a Cup horse and Ryan thought the same there, so delighted really. He won’t over-race (himself) and that’s good really.”Â
Next up for Scandinavia is a race won by many of the great Irish stayers, including by Kyprios for the last two years.
The Ballydoyle trainer added: “The Saval Beg (at Leopardstown) is the plan, that is what we are thinking. In the Gold Cup you don’t know (about the two-and-a-half-mile trip), but we are looking forward to him. He has the class and it’s great to have him.”
Earlier Charles Darwin hit the ground running with a smart win the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Committed Stakes on seasonal debut.
The No Nay Never colt, a full-brother to the Group One winner Blackbeard, ran four times as a juvenile and after defeat first time out he was undefeated in his next three starts which culminated in a Norfolk Stakes triumph.
He made his comeback at Listed level over six furlongs with a penalty to contend with, and was victorious by a length and a quarter under Ryan Moore as the 4-11 favourite.
Chris Armstrong, representative of trainer Aidan O’Brien, said: “It was good to get him started. He’s a bull of a horse, he’s been off the track since Ascot. He was under the penalty here and he will strip a lot fitter for the next day.
“He will go from here, all being well, to the Lacken (Stakes, Group Three) at Naas and then the Commonwealth Cup.
“He’s a horse everyone has been looking forward to for a while now, and I think when he puts everything together he will be a very good sprinter.
“He has done unbelievably well physically and you see him when he is walking around the ring.
“All being well, he gets to stud and he will be very exciting, but hopefully there’s a lot of big races in between now and then.”
Meanwhile Amo Racing’s Tribeca is likely to be Royal Ascot bound after taking the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden at Navan.
After fetching 575,000 guineas as a yearling the Blue Point colt was sent to Robson De Aguiar, and was a 17-2 chance to make a winning debut under Donagh O’Connor over six furlongs.
He duly obliged when scoring by half a length from Barrow Boy, and is considered a Coventry prospect with the Royal meeting in mind. The odds-on Aidan O’Brien newcomer West Of Eden was only fourth.
De Aguiar said: “He’s a nice horse. He’s still babyish, he’s still green, and I don’t know how quick he is yet.
“He’s an end of April horse and he has a lot to improve. A big, strong horse and I’d say he has a bright future.
“He has a very good mentality for a Blue Point – he’s very relaxed, he does everything right, so I’m delighted with what he did today.” Regarding future plans, the trainer added: “I’d say he’s kind of a Coventry horse, but I have to see how he goes after the race today. If he is ready to go to Ascot, we will try.
“I think we will go to the Curragh in a Group Three before Ascot.”
