THE DERBY pedigree of Leopardstown’s PW McGrath Memorial Ballysax Stakes could do with a little freshening up and Mourayan can start doing that tomorrow afternoon.
A total of nine colts and one filly line up for the Group Three event which threw up back-to-back Epsom heroes in Galileo (2001) and High Chaparral (2002) as well as Sinndar in 2000 who finished runner-up to Grand Finale.
However, the last truly Group One performer to win it was Yeats in 2004 who didn’t even make it to Epsom due to a late injury. Recent winners like Moiqen and Bobs Pride have been decent horses without being top class but there will be plenty of interest in this weekend’s field of contenders to see if there is an exceptional prospect among them.
The most obvious candidate looks to be the sole Group One winner among them, Fame And Glory, winner of last year’s Criterium de Saint-Cloud and one of four Aidan O’Brien-trained runners in pursuit of a sixth Ballysax victory for the champion trainer.
However, the Montjeu colt has a 5lb penalty to concede and has only 1lb in hand on official ratings from Mourayan who heads a trio of John Oxx-trained horses.
Vitruvian Man, another son of Montjeu, is a highly promising sort but Michael Kinane has picked Mourayan, winner of the Eyrefield on soft ground last year from the high class filly Oh Goodness Me.
Grace O’Malley is a rare filly to run against colts in this race and Dermot Weld’s runner is an unknown quantity after winning her sole start as a juvenile.
However, Mourayan has been the subject of some positive reports from a yard that has several high-class classic prospects and it would be no surprise to see him lead home a Oxx one-two with Vitruvian Man possibly the main danger. Jim Bolger has elected to skip the Ballysax with his number one hope Gan Amhras who will instead wait for the Dante or the Irish Guineas with Fergus McIver representing Coolcullen instead in tomorrow’s feature.
However, the trainer can pick up the Heritage Stakes with his hugely progressive Three Rocks who tries a mile for the first time in this Listed event. Up against Jumbajukiba, who has shown a dislike for this course in the past, and the front-running Estrela Brage, this looks a good option for Three Rocks to make it four from four this season. Last year’s mile and a quarter maiden threw up the top-flight performers Winchester and Moonstone and Barrel Of Fun’s experience could prove crucial.
