RACING NEWS:AIDAN O'BRIEN has put up a one-man defence of the Irish 2,000 Guineas crown in the last decade, but he will have a strong cross-sea team to contend with again on Saturday, headed by Richard Hannon's Canford Cliffs.
The colt ran third in the Newmarket Guineas, where he had Xtension just behind him, and they are set to clash again at the Curragh’s Classic weekend.
Both the Etihad Airways 1,000 Guineas and the Tattersalls Gold Cup will be run on Sunday, but the Group One focus will first be concentrated on Saturday’s Abu Dhabi 2,000 Guineas which has fallen to English-based horses in six of the last 10 years.
Yesterday Richard Hughes reported Canford Cliffs on course for the Curragh and the jockey is anticipating a big run.
“Canford Cliffs has proved he gets a mile,” he said. “We would like to show people how good Canford Cliffs is and he’ll have his day in Ireland maybe.”
Xtension was fourth at Newmarket, and trainer Clive Cox reported: “He ran a blinder in the English Guineas and we are looking forward to running him at the Curragh. He has come on a good deal and we expect a bold showing.”
In the face of such a strong raiding party, which could be even stronger after today’s forfeit stage, Irish eyes will again turn to Ballydoyle, which has supplied the four other Irish Guineas victors in the last decade.
O’Brien has nominated Steinbeck as likely to make his seasonal debut in the race, and hasn’t ruled out an appearance by the Group One winner Jan Vermeer either.
There was some positive news from the Curragh yesterday in terms of the going, with manager Paul Hensey describing it as “perfect ground at the moment”
“It’s too early to make predictions about the weekend,” he added, “but we are being told to expect a rise in temperatures and some showers, particularly early in the week. The rise in temperature is expected to produce humid and overcast weather so it might not be conducive to drying. But we will see.”
A strong English challenge for the 1,000 Guineas is also likely, with Music Show, who was unlucky behind Special Duty in the English version, set to travel.
“She ran a fine race at Newmarket and has come out of it in great shape,” said trainer Mick Channon. “We will keep an eye on the ground, but she is an intended runner.”
Last year’s Moyglare winner, Termagant, hasn’t been seen out so far this season, but trainer Kevin Prendergast hopes to have her spot-on for her Classic task at the weekend.
“She is doing very well. She was very slow, as we had a very cold winter and she suffered from it. But she seems to be coming good,” Prendergast said.
The veteran Curragh trainer could also be represented in the 1,000 Guineas by Crystal Gal, while Recharge is set to clash again with Fame And Glory in the Tattersalls after finishing runner-up to his rival in the Mooresbridge Stakes last time out.
The Godolphin team have indicated they will pick one from the trio of Cavalryman, Campanologist and Alexandros to run in the Tattersalls.
