RACING:COLM O'DONOGHUE steps into the fastest hot seat at Ballydoyle when he teams up with Starspangledbanner in today's Group One feature at Haydock.
With Johnny Murtagh on duty at Leopardstown, O’Donoghue has been given the responsibility of steering the ex-Aussie star to a third Group One of the European season in today’s Betfred Sprint Cup, writes Brian O’Connor.
Starspangledbanner is back to six furlongs today after finishing second to Sole Power at York over five in the Nunthorpe and O’Donoghue will certainly be familiar with the big chestnut.
“I sit on him every day at home. He knows me better than I know myself,” the jockey joked yesterday.
“He has proved he is probably the best sprinter around. The field he beat in Ascot (Golden Jubilee Stakes) was amazing, with some of the best sprinters in the world at that time.”
Starspangledbanner’s 15 opponents for a race only ever won before by one Irish-trained horse – Abergwaun in 1972 – include last year’s winner Regal Parade and other proven Group One winners, Borderlescott and Kingsgate Native.
O’Donoghue will be on duty at Dundalk tomorrow where he teams up again with The Grey Rebel who impressively won his last start at Cork. David Marnane’s horse is 7lb higher for that, and drops a furlong, but does have a decent draw for the all-weather circuit.
Bright Horizon tops the weights for the ten-and-a-half-furlong handicap but Joseph O’Brien takes a valuable claim off and this track could suit better than Sligo where Bright Horizon last ran.
The betting firm Boylesports have been confirmed as the new sponsor of next weekend’s Vincent O’Brien National Stakes.
