A look at the horse racing to come in the next few months
It's a bit of a strange week ahead of us with the majority of the Pattern Class races taking place outside of the UK and even come the weekend only we have just the two Group Three races and a couple of Listed heats to look forward to. I mentioned in my post on Saturday that I am currently in the worst month of results since Girdys Gee Gees started back on 8th May 2010 and part of me can't wait for August to be over; it is perhaps a blessing in disguise that we have a fairly basic few days ahead and nothing much jumps for the page at me as a betting proposition. There are a couple of bets that I might have later in the week and if they stand their ground a couple for the weekend so do check back to find out the latest as the week goes on.
Aidan O'Brien has been talking about plans with some of his for the Irish Champions Festival, two days of top-class action next weekend, Saturday 9th at Leopardstown and Sunday 10th at the Curragh, and he looks to have a formidable team once again. City Of Troy is expected to run in the Vincent O’Brien National Stakes, whilst he is planning to run both last year’s winner Luxembourg and August Rodin in the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on the Saturday. Kyprios may make his long-awaited return in the Irish St Leger but I wouldn't lump on just yet. The trainer said of his star stayer “He is in good shape, we’re very happy with him. He was at the Curragh a couple of weeks ago and I didn’t think we’d get him to where he is. He could run in the Leger, but if he runs it would be for a run – I couldn’t imagine him being forward enough to be that competitive in that race, but you would still say that he should run a very good race. Four months ago you’d have said he’ll never race again. He got an infection in his joint and then the ligament down the outside of his pastern shifted, so it became unstable. Everyone has done a wonderful job with him. If we got a run into him we’ll look towards Arc weekend again, either the Arc or the Cadran, but I would imagine the Arc would be too much too quick for him. He’s a very good horse and probably more than a stayer. We saw what he did in the Cadran last year – he just took off.” Emily Dickinson may join her stable mate in the race.
Prix du Jockey Club winner Ace Impact is reportedly going to head straight to the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. The Jean-Claude Rouget-trained three-year-old is unbeaten and the current favourite for the race in October. “We are very pleased with him since his run in the Prix Guillaume d’Ornano,” said Pauline Chehboub, racing manager for her family’s Gousserie Racing operation, who purchased 50 per cent of the colt from Serge Stempniak after the Prix du Jockey Club. “He is a very unique horse and every time he comes to the races it feels like he loves it. We are very fortunate to be a part of this champion. His target since the French Derby, like Jean-Claude Rouget announced, is the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, so we follow the plan. He is the Arc favourite, unbeaten and his limits are unknown. The dream continues.”
Be lucky
Aidan O'Brien has been talking about plans with some of his for the Irish Champions Festival, two days of top-class action next weekend, Saturday 9th at Leopardstown and Sunday 10th at the Curragh, and he looks to have a formidable team once again. City Of Troy is expected to run in the Vincent O’Brien National Stakes, whilst he is planning to run both last year’s winner Luxembourg and August Rodin in the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on the Saturday. Kyprios may make his long-awaited return in the Irish St Leger but I wouldn't lump on just yet. The trainer said of his star stayer “He is in good shape, we’re very happy with him. He was at the Curragh a couple of weeks ago and I didn’t think we’d get him to where he is. He could run in the Leger, but if he runs it would be for a run – I couldn’t imagine him being forward enough to be that competitive in that race, but you would still say that he should run a very good race. Four months ago you’d have said he’ll never race again. He got an infection in his joint and then the ligament down the outside of his pastern shifted, so it became unstable. Everyone has done a wonderful job with him. If we got a run into him we’ll look towards Arc weekend again, either the Arc or the Cadran, but I would imagine the Arc would be too much too quick for him. He’s a very good horse and probably more than a stayer. We saw what he did in the Cadran last year – he just took off.” Emily Dickinson may join her stable mate in the race.
Prix du Jockey Club winner Ace Impact is reportedly going to head straight to the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. The Jean-Claude Rouget-trained three-year-old is unbeaten and the current favourite for the race in October. “We are very pleased with him since his run in the Prix Guillaume d’Ornano,” said Pauline Chehboub, racing manager for her family’s Gousserie Racing operation, who purchased 50 per cent of the colt from Serge Stempniak after the Prix du Jockey Club. “He is a very unique horse and every time he comes to the races it feels like he loves it. We are very fortunate to be a part of this champion. His target since the French Derby, like Jean-Claude Rouget announced, is the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, so we follow the plan. He is the Arc favourite, unbeaten and his limits are unknown. The dream continues.”
Be lucky