HORSE RACING:RAYENI HAS been surprising John Oxx throughout his short career and the Curragh trainer is hoping the colt can continue to do the same and complete his home classic collection in Saturday's Boylesports Irish 2,000 Guineas.
The first classic of the Irish flat season is the only one missing from Oxx’s CV and with Newmarket-hero Sea The Stars waiting for Epsom, and Arazan on the sidelines due to a temperature, it is Rayeni who will represent the trainer on Saturday.
The Aga Khan-owned colt won both his two-year-old starts, including the Group Three Killavullan Stakes at Leopardstown, in a juvenile career that was a happy surprise for Oxx.
“Last year he showed us nothing at home. In fact he looked like one that might end up at the sales at the end of the year. But there was an amazing difference on the track,” the trainer said yesterday.
Rayeni is still currently rated behind Sea The Stars and Arazan in the Oxx team but they have learned it is dangerous to underestimate the little chestnut who should make Saturday’s classic despite having done little more than walking and trotting through March after a setback.
“He was slightly lame and only started cantering again on April 1st. But he is coming along nicely now. Ideally I suppose we would like another week with him but he has been working well this year which he didn’t do at all last season,” Oxx said. “What he has in his favour are the conditions. Soft ground will be right up his street. In fact yielding is probably the fastest I think he would be effective on. The conditions at the moment are probably why he is working better,” he added.
The ground on the straight course at the Curragh yesterday was heavy and conditions look set to be testing for the Guineas weekend, something that hasn’t stopped Aidan O’Brien pitching seven horses into the colts classic for which a total of 17 were left in at yesterday’s confirmation stage.
They include Brian Meehan’s Newmarket 2,000 Guineas runner up Delegator who has been installed as a 7 to 4 favourite with Saturday’s big race sponsors.
The Manton trainer reported yesterday: “We had originally considered giving the Curragh a miss with Delegator and waiting for Ascot but he did his final piece of work this morning and went very well. We will monitor the ground but it looks like being an easier surface than Newmarket which should suit him.”
Soul City is another British contender with Richard Hannon’s horse chasing a €1 million bonus after winning last year’s Goffs Million. Mastercraftsman will lead the O’Brien attempt on a sixth victory in the race but the Ballydoyle trainer has also left in the French 2,000 Guineas third Westphalia who endured a less than clear passage at Longchamp.
Jim Bolger has the option of running the Dewhurst winner Intense Focus or Fergus McIver who has been placed in both the Balysax and the Derrinstown Trial.
Bolger’s star filly of 2008 Lush Lashes has the opportunity of making her first start of 2009 in the Group Three TRI Equestrian Stakes over a mile. She is one of 13 entries remaining in the race, along with the James Fanshawe trained Spacious.
A total of 17 horses remain in the Weatherbys Greenlands Stakes with the dual Group One winner Bushranger a possible to make his own seasonal debut against older horses. Five of the entries are British-trained including the Fanshawe trained former Gimcrack winner Sir Gerry.
Boylesports: 7-4 Delegator, 5-2 Mastercraftsman, 4 Rayeni, 8 Recharge, 12 Westphalia Intense Focus, 14 Soul City, 20 Bar.
