RACING:BY DEFINITION the race title of today's Group Two Curragh feature is about the future and Riviera Poet can take the first steps in following some illustrious hoofprints by winning the Galileo Futurity Stakes.
Superstar names such as New Approach, Giant’s Causeway, Hawk Wing and Cape Blanco have won the Futurity on-route to Group One and classic success. It’s a roll-of-honour to compare with most any juvenile race in Europe and there are a number of today’s eight-strong field that might eventually live up to the same sort of billing.
Among them are a trio of Aidan O’Brien runners as the champion trainer pursues an eighth win in the race as well as Dragon Pulse whose trainer Jessica Harrington scored with Pathfork in 2010.
Both the Ballydoyle hopes Astrology and David Livingston are already in possession of 25 to 1 quotes for next year’s Derby and anybody underestimating their stable companion Vault just because he won a Galway Nursery last time would do well to remember Treasure Beach’s juvenile CV last year.
But it’s another piece of Ballybrit form that could prove crucial. Dermot Weld’s dominance of the Day One festival maiden is well-documented and despite a less than ideal preparation Riviera Poet added to it last month by overhauling Learn in the closing stages.
It was 13 lengths back to the third and Learn has won a maiden by a wide margin since.
Significantly though despite going on to smash his own Galway record to smithereens later in the week, Weld resolutely maintained his best moment remained Riviera Poet’s win, especially in terms of the future.
The legendary trainer sent star names of the past such Grey Swallow and Dance Design to win their maidens up the Galway hill and Weld has made no attempt to disguise his regard for this latest potential headliner.
A tried-and-trusted headliner today is Fame And Glory who reverts back to Listed class for the Leger Trial after his memorable Ascot Gold Cup triumph.
The 2009 Irish Derby winner, and five-time Group One winner in all, is starting his build up to a possible third attempt on October’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and despite having to concede weight all round this afternoon he looks different class to his half-dozen opponents.
Seamie Heffernan is on Fame And Glory for the first time since the partnership started favourite to beat Sea The Stars in the 2009 Epsom Derby and he is also on Boris Grigoriev in the Listed Curragh Stakes over five furlongs.
David Wachman’s filly Experience tops the weights in this and that weight concession to the impressive Dundalk scorer Bible Black may be beyond her.
On what could be a memorable afternoon for Heffernan, Soon can regain winning ways in the seven furlong conditions event.
The Ballydoyle rider is also on McMonagle in the sprint handicap and although trainer Willie McCreery also has the Cork scorer Noble Four in this race, the six furlongs here could be ideal for McMonagle.
The re-scheduling of the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale to September 25th-26th next year has meant Horse Racing Ireland has sanctioned the moving of Fairyhouse’s scheduled September 17th race meeting to September 24th, 2012.
