The Lir Jet Headed To Phoenix

G2 Norfolk S. winner The Lir Jet (Ire) (Prince Of Lir {Ire}), beaten a head when second in the July 19 G2 Prix Robert Papin, is set for next Sunday’s G1 Keeneland Phoenix S. at The Curragh. The Qatar Racing colourbearer was originally slated for the Aug. 21 Nunthorpe S. against elders, but trainer Michael Bell said that is likely off the table now.

“The Lir Jet worked well this morning,” Bell said. “He is likely to go to Ireland now for the Phoenix S. as plans have been made to get him there. We were thinking of the Nunthorpe, but we thought while he is in great order we may as well give him another chance [at six furlongs]. He just got beat in France on the nod and it was a case of one having its head up and the other having its head down. We could end up dropping back down to five with him, but there are no Group 1 2-year-old-only five-furlong races around and with the penalty he would have to carry in other races we thought it was sensible to try him at six.”

He added, “You can never rule anything out, but I would say it is highly unlikely he would run in the Nunthorpe as well, as he would have been to France and Ireland and then coming back for a Nunthorpe would be quite a lot for a 2-year-old. If he was to win we would rest on laurels for a bit, if he finished a good second or third we could then look at the Flying Childers.”

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Nunthorpe Next Port of Call for The Lir Jet

Royal Ascot hero The Lir Jet (Ire) (Prince of Lir {Ire}), second by only a nose in the G2 Prix Robert Papin at Chantilly on Sunday, will make his next start against elders in the G1 Coolmore Nunthorpe S. in August. Originally campaigned by Nick Bell and trained by Michel Bell, the bay sparkled on debut at Yarmouth on June 3 and was subsequently purchased privately by Sheikh Fahad’s Qatar Racing. The acquisition proved a shrewd one, as The Lir Jet captured the G2 Norfolk S. at Royal Ascot on June 19, still in Bell’s care.

Bell said, “He’s back in the yard and seems none the worse for his exertions, thankfully. I’ve just been talking to Sheikh Fahad and I think we’re going to drop back to five furlongs for the Nunthorpe–that’s the thinking at the moment. Oisin [Murphy] is pretty emphatic that he’s better horse over five furlongs and the form book would suggest that, too.”

Facing the best European sprinters in the Nunthorpe, The Lir Jet will fortunately receive a hefty break in the weights.

“If the Battaash (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) we know turns up, he’ll be a worthy favourite, but if we don’t go there you’d be running somewhere carrying penalties, or running over six furlongs in the G1 Prix Morny, which would mean more travelling,” Bell added. “It’s not set in stone, but Sheikh Fahad’s view is you don’t succeed if you don’t try, which is a good attitude to have.”

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Prince of Lir’s The Lir Jet Wins the Norfolk

Having broken the all-aged track record on debut at Yarmouth June 3, Qatar Racing’s acquisition The Lir Jet (GB) emulated the 2009 success of his sire Prince of Lir (Ire) in this G2 Norfolk S. Registering the first success for his first-season sire on fast ground at the East Anglian venue, the 9-2 shot had easier conditions to deal with here and also a trailblazing Wesley Ward runner to deal with as Golden Pal (Uncle Mo) powered over the easy turf. It took until the final yards for the Michael Bell-trained bay to get to the US raider, but Oisin Murphy found the line in time to prevail by a neck, with three lengths back to Imperial Force (Ire) (Camacho {GB}) in third.

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