AIDAN O’BRIEN’S Group One ambitions this weekend could also include France where both the 2010 Irish Derby hero Cape Blanco and the former juvenile champion St Nicholas Abbey remain possible starters in Saturday’s Prix Ganay at Longchamp.
The Irish champion trainer also has Jan Vermeer as an option for the €300,000 prize over 10 and a half furlongs which O’Brien won back-to-back with Dylan Thomas and Duke Of Marmalade in 2007-08.
Saturday will also see the Ballydoyle number-one Roderic O’Connor take on Frankel in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket. Ryan Moore will take the ride on last year’s Dewhurst runner-up while the Boussac winner Misty For Me heads O’Brien’s list of hopefuls for Sunday’s 1,000 Guineas.
St Nicholas Abbey disappointed in his first start in almost a year when runner-up in the Alleged Stakes at the Curragh but could get another shot at Group One glory in a race where the home team is set to be headed by Planteur and the Aga Khan’s Sarafina.
Cape Blanco last appeared in the Dubai World Cup at Meydan where he ran a fine race behind the Japanese winner Voictoire Pisa in the colours of his new part-owner, Fitri Hay, for the first time.
Sunday’s home highlight will be the Listed Victor McCalmont Stakes at Gowran Parak where a number of Oaks hopefuls could line up against older horses in the nine-furlong event. David Wachman has left his unbeaten Park Stakes winner Chrysanthemum among the 17 entries for the McCalmont and the filly, who is trading as low as 14 to 1 for the Epsom Oaks, is joined among the possibles by the John Oxx duo, Mesariya and Kirinda. The 2009 winner She’s Our Mark is on course to head the older division while Jim Bolger has left in his Ballysax heroine Banimpire.
Johnny Murtagh will team up with Eoin Griffin for Admiral Barry in the upcoming Chester Cup. Last year’s Galway festival winner hasn’t been seen since disappointing in his last start in the Cesarewitch.
Paul Townend returns to action at Ballinrobe with three rides for Willie Mullins that can reboot his challenge for the jockey’s title. He broke his collarbone at Navan a month ago but still holds a narrow lead over Davy Russell in the jockey’s championship which concludes at Punchestown next week. Townend kicks off with Rattan in the opening maiden hurdle while Wee Giant, in just his third start over flights in the conditions hurdle, is bred to handle these faster conditions.
Killultagh Queen will be a good test of Townend’s collarbone, having unseated her rider in a race last January and fallen on her last start at Clonmel but she boasts the sort of placed form that gives her a chance in the Beginners Chase.
