It was a Classic 1-2-3 for the Irish Wizard Aidan O’Brien in the 1,000 Guineas last Sunday at Newmarket winning his tenth Classic when Minding romped home at 11/10 favourite beating Ballydoyle inside the final furlong earning a quote of 5/2 for the Derby.
The Curragh could be set to welcome its first runners from the USA since 1991, following yesterday’s entry stage for the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes.
US-based trainer Wesley Ward has included four horses in Europe’s first two-year-old Group One of 2016, which takes place at the Curragh on Sunday 7th August, with Create A Dream, Angelo’s Ashes, Lady Aurelia and Silvertoni among the 73 entries.
Create A Dream won on her first start at Ascot yesterday. Lady Aurelia and Silvertoni both made a winning debut at the Keeneland April meeting with Angelo’s Ashes coming second on her first run.
A former Champion jockey in the US, Ward’s career has gone from strength to strength as a trainer having won numerous major races in the US including the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in 2014 with Hootenanny and also a remarkable five wins at Royal Ascot, most notably No Nay Never in the Norfolk Stakes in 2013 and Undrafted in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes last year.
They would represent the first runners from the US at the County Kildare venue since Fourstars All Star, trained in New York by Leo O’Brien, landed the Irish 2000 Guineas in 1991.
“They are four very nice two-year-olds and could all run at Royal Ascot and then we are planning to be represented in the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes,” said Ward.
“Two very great friends of mine – Rogers Beasley, Keeneland’s Director of Racing, and Paul Shanahan – have both asked me about having runners in Ireland and so I would like to do it.”
“It will be something different. Running is one thing but winning is another and winning is what it is all about. I hope the ones we have nominated are good enough and it will just be about having them at the right stage at that time. But it’s something we are certainly going to plan for.”
“They train at Keeneland so would come back there after Ascot and then we will see where we are with them with a view to coming to the Curragh.”
“Winning this sort of race is a real feather in your cap, a credit on your CV and something you cherish for the rest of your life so it’s something I would love to do.”
At Nottingham on Saturday back Moonday Sun in the 1m2f (Class 4) Handicap.
Yours In Sport!
The Colonel
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