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O’Brien Issues Update On Epsom Runners

Twenty years ago, Aidan O'Brien won the Derby for the first of his record eight times with Galileo (Ire), whose son Bolshoi Ballet (Ire) is currently ante-post favourite for the Cazooo Derby on June 5. The Ballydoyle trainer also has the favourite for the Cazoo Oaks, Santa Barbara (Ire), who is by another of his Derby winners, Camelot (GB).

Issuing an update on the G3 Ballysax S. winner Bolshoi Ballet, O'Brien said, “I am very happy with him, everything has gone well so far. He is a very well-balanced horse. He seems to get the mile and quarter very well and he is very relaxed, very off-handed, and tactically he is very easy to place in a race.

“We always thought middle distances wouldn't be a problem to him. Obviously you are never sure until you run over the mile and a half, but we always thought he would stay.”

The trainer also has the Galileo colt High Definition (Ire) among his Derby team of five and he said of the recent G2 Dante S. third, “Obviously, he had a very interrupted preparation–a week before the Dante he wouldn't have been able to run. He just came right a couple of days before. We knew he had to run if he was going to the Derby and we couldn't have been happier.

“Obviously, we were going to ride him patiently, kindly and gently, and that is what Ryan did. We were very happy with his run at York. He covered the last three furlongs quicker than anyone else in the race, so that is a very good sign for a horse like him.”

The quintet is completed by the Camelot colts Sir Lamorak (Ire) and Sir Lucan (Ire), as well as G1 Criterium International winner Van Gogh (American Pharoah).

“It's what the foundation of the thoroughbred is built on really,” added O'Brien of the Derby. “It is the ultimate test and they are tested in every way–speed, stamina, courage and balance.”

Along with Santa Barbara, the trainer's Oaks entries include the impressive G3 Musidora S. winner Snowfall (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), Divinely (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and La Joconde (Ire) (Frankel {GB}).

He said of the favourite, who was fourth in the 1000 Guineas on her seasonal debut, “It was a big risk going to the 1000 Guineas on only her second run, but she ran very well. This was always pencilled in to be her next run. She came out of the 1000 Guineas well and everything has gone well with her since. She hasn't been over that far before, but she is a Camelot filly and we are really looking forward to seeing her run. She was always very special in her work.”

Snowfall is also pleasing O'Brien, who said, “We always thought the world of Snowfall last year, but we could never get her to produce what she was doing at home. Maybe a little bit of time over the winter, maybe she matured from two to three and a little bit extra distance has helped her. Physically she has done well since and mentally she is lovely, so it is very possible that she could really take off.”

O'Brien could also have up to six runners in the Coronation Cup on Friday, June 4, including last year's Derby and Oaks winners Serpentine (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Love (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). The list is completed by Japan (GB) and his full-brother Mogul (GB), both sons of Galileo, as is fellow entrant Armory (Ire). Recent G2 Mooresbridge S. winner Broome (Ire), by Derby winner Australia (GB) is also engaged.

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Poetic Flare Heads Irish Guineas Cast

Denied a Classic double in Sunday's G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains, Jim Bolger's Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) will try again in Saturday's G1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas at The Curragh, for which a dozen were confirmed on Thursday. His owner, breeder and trainer gave the expected all-clear to the May 1 G1 2000 Guineas hero after his sixth placing at ParisLongchamp, while he also saddles the G1 Futurity Trophy winner Mac Swiney (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}), who was only fourth on his return in the G3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial at Leopardstown May 9. Reflecting on Poetic Flare's reversal, Bolger said, “The wheels kind of came off the wagon a little bit there, but we've drawn a line through it and we're moving on. It was the conditions mainly. While I agree the going was very soft, he couldn't get a grip for whatever reason and I suspect there was a little bit of padding underneath. He wasn't going to be able to quicken up like he can in those circumstances and Kevin didn't get him to where he wanted to be at the two-furlong marker.”

Bolger believes that Poetic Flare is up to the fast turnaround. “He's very well, he only had a furlong and a half of a race, so we expected he'd be fresh after it,” he commented. “He's very durable and has a great constitution. He'd be able to stand up to whatever I throw at him.” Of Mac Swiney, he added, “Mac Swiney was flat in the Derrinstown and didn't perform at all well, but the following morning he had a very copious nasal discharge. That cleared up over the following weekend, he's back in work and is doing very well. I need to get the run into him for Epsom and for him to prove his wellbeing. If he does that, I'll be very happy with him. If he can beat Poetic Flare he can win, but I think at a mile Poetic Flare is the better horse. I'd be very comfortable going to Epsom with him, provided we get a good show at the Curragh.”

Likely favourite at present is Zhang Yuesheng's 2000 Guineas third Lucky Vega (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), while Ryan Moore is on Wembley (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) who proved such a disappointment when 11th behind him at Newmarket. Godolphin rely on TDN Rising Star La Barrosa (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), who was runner-up to Master of the Seas (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in Newmarket's G3 Craven S. over this mile trip last time Apr. 15. Another TDN Rising Star, Thunder Moon (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), will be missing from the Curragh after Joseph O'Brien withdrew Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez's G1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National S. hero.

Friday's action sees the last two recognised Epsom Oaks and Derby trials takes place in the Listed Height of Fashion S. and Listed British Stallion Studs EBF Cocked Hat S., formerly known as the Lupe and the Predominate. The Lupe or Height of Fashion was won in 2000 by Love Divine (GB) (Diesis {GB}) and in 2010 by Snow Fairy (Ire) (Intikhab) who went on to Oaks glory days later, but none of the eight entered this time even hold an entry in the June 4 Classic. The Cocked Hat is a different kettle of fish, with live Derby outsiders Stay Well (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}) and Lone Eagle (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) making up an intriguing contest. The former, who is owned by his breeders Ben and Sir Martyn Arbib, scored by eight lengths over 10 furlongs at Windsor Apr. 26 and trainer Hughie Morrison is looking forward to seeing him tackle the extra furlong here. “He was named Stay Well in recognition of the sayings this time last year 'Stay Alert, Stay At Home', not that he would stay well but his mother did stay very well,” he explained. “Martyn and Ben breed to win the Derby, so if you've got half a chance of running in the Derby that's what you do. It's close enough to it but my feeling is, if we were going to the Derby, we'd have to give him a very good gallop some time in the next 10 days. This is his racecourse gallop.”

Noel Meade said of Ballylinch Stud and Aquis Farm's G3 Zetland S. winner Lone Eagle, who was fourth in the G3 Sandown Classic Trial Apr. 23 and who carries a five-pound penalty, “He was a little bit disappointing at Sandown. He just didn't seem to spark, but then again it was his first time back and he is a lazy-ish horse. He does need motivating and he was a bit ring-rusty, so maybe we will see him in a better light. I needed to give him another run. It's not ideal having to carry a penalty. That's not good but at the same time if he's good enough, he should manage with it. I just wanted to get him out and get him running. Hopefully the track will suit him. We'll just see where to go from there.”

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Goffs UK Spring Sale Ends On A High

Four days of National Hunt trade came to an end in Doncaster on Thursday with an encouraging 93% clearance rate for the the two-day Goffs UK Spring HIT/P2P Sale, following a record-breaking Spring Store Sale conducted earlier in the week.

The final session was led by the Grade 2-placed steeplechaser Hold The Note (Lot 632), who was sold from Mick Channon's West Ilsley stable to Brian Jordan for £130,000.

When the sale was last held in this slot in 2019, the Grech & Parkin Dispersal led to a world record price of £620,000 for a National Hunt horse in training. Set against that, this year's trade was more modest, but nevertheless included a new record for both average and median.

“It has been a remarkable four days of sales in the Doncaster ring,” said Goffs UK managing director Tim Kent. “The incredible demand that we witnessed for the National Hunt stores has continued with the horses in training and we are delighted by the record figures that we achieved yesterday, whilst the superb two-day clearance rate of 93% is a graphic illustration of the insatiable demand for horses at all levels of the market.”

He added, “We were certainly hopeful of a healthy Spring Sale, especially following the significant issues faced last year and, like many others, we have been blown away by the level of demand for horses and it's another very positive sign for the bloodstock industry following the record-breaking results achieved in the same sales ring just four weeks ago at the Breeze-up Sale. This is something that we can all enjoy and bodes extremely well for all future sales.”

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Brigadier Gerard S. To Be Run In Memory Of Mercer

The names of Joe Mercer and Brigadier Gerard will be united once more with the announcement that Sandown's Group 3 contest which carries the name of the great horse will this year be run in memory of his former jockey, who died on Monday.

Set to be run on Thursday, May 27 during Sandown's elite evening meeting, the 10-furlong race will now be named The Coral Brigadier Gerard Stakes (In memory of Joe Mercer).

Brigadier Gerard (GB) (Queen's Hussar {GB}), trained by Dick Hern for his owner/breeders John and Jean Hislop, was beaten just once in an 18-race career. His Group 1 victories included the 2000 Guineas and St James's Palace S. of 1971 as well as the following season's Eclipse S. and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S., as well as consecutive wins in the Champion S. Mercer was in the saddle for all of his 18 starts.

“We were deeply saddened to hear of news of Joe Mercer's death earlier this week, and are pleased to be able to mark the occasion in the race which honours the horse he was most famously associated with,” said Phil White, regional director of Jockey Club Racecourses.

“Our thanks go to Coral for their assistance in facilitating this and we hope the race will give racing fans and the industry a chance to remember one of the greatest and most stylish jockeys the sport has seen.”

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