KEREDARI WAS backed into 8 to 1 yesterday to fill the one blank in John Oxx’s Classic CV in Ireland by winning the Abu Dhabi Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh on Saturday.
The local trainer has finished runner-up three times in the opening Classic of the season, including last year with Rayeni, but yesterday pointed to Azamour’s 2003 defeat by Bachelor Duke as one that got away.
“I suppose he was our best chance and it is still a bit of a mystery how he didn’t win,” Oxx recalled.
“But it is not a race where we have had many live chances. Adjareli was beaten half a length by Spectrum (1995) and Massyar was third to Barathea (1993).”
Keredari won the Loughbrown Stakes on soft ground on his first start of 2010 but will face very different conditions this weekend, something that isn’t overly concerning his trainer.
“He won his maiden at Roscommon on good to firm and it was very sticky when he won the last day. We didn’t think that would suit him but he did it well.
“Usually you treat form on sticky conditions with caution and maybe it bothered the others that day more than us. But as long as they water the ground it should be fine for him. He’s quite an idle horse at home and he has something to find off a mark of 107. He needs to improve by 10lb. But we think he has come on and I don’t think the mile will be an issue for him,” Oxx said.
Keredari was backed into single-figure odds from 10 to 1 yesterday in ante-post markets that generally now have the Newmarket Guineas third, Canford Cliffs, as the market leader.
“I thought the first three at Newmarket were the three that travelled best through the race so it looks like it was a good race,” Oxx added. “I’d say plenty of good horses will come out of it.”
One intended English raider who didn’t run in the Guineas at Newmarket is the Ralph Beckett-trained Oasis Dancer who instead is stepping up to Group One class from winning a handicap last time.
“We think the Curragh will suit him. The fast ground should suit as well which is why we’re sending him,” Beckett said yesterday of his 33 to 1 shot.
After 3mms of overnight rain, the going on the straight Guineas course at the Curragh yesterday remained good with the round course described as good to firm. With a positive weather outlook forecast, watering could start to take place.
Ground conditions are not a concern for the Tommy Stack team who are preparing Noll Wallop for a Classic attempt.
“Before he won at Leopardstown we had been thinking of him as a mile-and-a-half horse but he quickened up so well we will let him take his chance,” Stack’s son, Fozzy, said yesterday.
“Canford Cliffs, Xtension and Fencing Master will be tough nuts to crack and Steinbeck is obviously a very talented horse too.”
Stack also confirmed the €32,500 supplementary entry Lolly For Dolly will be joined by her maiden-winning stable companion Conocandancer in Sunday’s 1,000 Guineas.
“Concandancer has always shown plenty promise. We would have liked to get another run into her but she got a hold-up in the spring which means we weren’t able to do that,” he said.
Dermot Weld may leave a final decision on Chinese White’s participation in Sunday’s Tattersalls Gold Cup until the morning of the race due to concerns over ground conditions. “She has been working fantastically well but obviously we need good ground and safe ground before she’d run,” said James Kelly, racing manager to Chinese White’s owner, Lady O’Reilly.
“What will possibly happen is she’ll be declared and Dermot will make a decision on Sunday morning when he sees what the ground is like. But she’s absolutely flying,” he added.
Chinese White is in foal to Cape Cross and has just this weekend’s race, and possibly next month’s Pretty Polly, as opportunities to land a Group One. The O’Reilly team could also be represented in the Tattersalls by Recharge.
The third Group One of the weekend looks to be dominated though by last year’s Irish Derby winner Fame And Glory and Godolphin’s Prix Ganay victor Cutlass Bay.
Powers make the Ballydoyle hope a 4 to 7 favourite with Cutlass Bay a 5 to 2 next best.
