AFTER Revoque ran out a luckless second to the much hyped Entrepreneur in the Newmarket 2,000 Guineas, his trainer, Peter ChappleHyam, predicted that a tilt at tomorrow's Lexus Irish 2,000 Guineas would be little more than "a penalty kick".
Racing has a habit of pinpricking such confidence, but while the likes of main local hope Desert King are sure to make Revoque sweat for victory, it's difficult not to go along with the Chapple Hyam colt as the likely winner.
On form and reputation, Revoque looks to overwhelm tomorrow's opposition. As Europe's top two year old last year and already a classic runner up to a horse reputed to be a future champion, favouritism is the least Revoque is entitled to tomorrow. However, he has shown enough vulnerability to suggest against trading at too short a price.
When he won in France last year, and, again, when losing at Newmarket, Revoque looked to be caught for pace in the middle part of his races. In the latter event, it was that rather than lack of initiative from John Reid that contributed to his defeat. It's a worrying tendency, but is probably best overlooked in the light of his trainer's confidence.
ChappleHyam has a remarkable record in the Irish Guineas and is bidding for a fourth win in five years. Rodrigo De Triano (1992), Turtle Island (1994) and Spectrum (1995) have given him the ideal guidelines to success in this race, and his confidence that Revoque is up to that class is understandable.
Desert King, although also a Group 1 winner at two, is not as proven a performer, but has been trained specifically for tomorrow and has the potential to push Revoque all the way.
Christy Roche, bidding for a fourth 2,000 himself 25 years after his first on Ballymore, was impressed with the progress Desert King made from being beaten in the Gladness to hammering his opposition in the Tetrarch. "He jumped from the start, quickened again and put in a good time," Roche said yesterday.
Desert King looks a more likely prospect for a forecast than any of the six other cross sea raiders.
Revoque's stablemate Romanov looks too inexperienced, Royal Amaretto may prefer further and Yalaietanee has a lot to prove after his flop in France last time.
Revoque, however, can send this race for export yet again and justify Chapple Hyam's confidence.
The Tattersalls Gold Cup also looks set to leave, despite the presence of two of the best Irish horses currently in training. Oscar Schiadler is having his first run since his unsuccessful trip to Melbourne in November, and, despite developing spectacularly last season, the evidence suggests that 10 furlongs is short of his best. Dance Design is an admirable mare, but the cloud hanging over Dermot Weld's yard is hardly inspiring.
Michael Stoute's Dr Massini looks to have things in his favour. After a curtailed three year old campaign, Dr Massini returned with a sparkling defeat of Thursday's Goodwood Listed winner Germano at Kempton. Stoute is confident his colt will handle tomorrow's ground and this improving type, after an ideal preparation, may be something to bet seriously on.
The heavy hitters look likely to be in action before the Glengarriff Maiden, where the highly spoken of Sadlers Wells colt King Of Kings makes his racecourse debut.
