RACING: Aidan O'Brien indicated yesterday that High Chaparral is likely to run in the Breeders' Cup Turf as the strength of the Ballydoyle challenge for Arlington begins to take shape.
It's just 18 days to the world's richest race meeting and the O'Brien horses appear to be coming back into form at just the right time.
The French 2,000 Guineas hero Landseer won a Grade One in America on Sunday night but the strength of the Ballydoyle camp means he may not get to have a crack at the Breeders' Cup Mile.
"We will have to see how he is but it's definitely possible he is finished for the season. He probably won't run against Rock Of Gibraltar again and it's just unfortunate he has come up against Rock Of Gibraltar in the same year," said O'Brien.
In addition to Hold That Tiger's Grand Criterium success, Landseer's victory in the Keeneland Turf Mile brought the trainer's Group One tally for the season to 14 despite a bout of the cough in August.
High Chaparral was one of those affected and O'Brien is taking nothing but positives from the double-Derby winner's Arc third on Sunday. "The lack of a prep run just told. He was a little bit too relaxed when they quickened and we just hadn't got enough into him. But the Breeders' Cup Turf is a definite option," he said.
No such firm plans are in place yet for the $4 million Classic on dirt with both Hawk Wing and Rock Of Gibraltar remaining possible starters. "Hawk Wing has the option of the English Champion Stakes but he is more likely to go to America where he is in three races. Rock Of Gibraltar has options too but it all depends on how they are at the time," O'Brien said.
The picture is clearer for the Juvenile which O'Brien and Michael Kinane won with Johannesburg last year. Tomahawk, the $6.4 million Van Nistelrooy and Marino Marini are the Ballydoyle contenders along with Hold That Tiger.
"Hold That Tiger is a definite possible. He's a half brother to a Belmont Stakes winner (Editor's Note) and like the others he has an American dirt pedigree," he said.
Moscow Express, fresh from an all-the-way success on the flat at the Curragh on Saturday, dominates the entries for Thursday's National Lottery Agent Champion Chase at Gowran Park. Fifteen horses remain in the 2½-mile event that highlights the opening day of Gowran's three-day meeting.
