RACING LEOPARDSTOWN PREVIEW:JUST SIX runners will line up for tomorrow's 2,000 Guineas Trial at Leopardstown with the Dewhurst winner Intense Focus attempting to follow in some illustrious footsteps.
A trio of Classic winners – Grey Swallow (2004), Refuse To Bend (2003) and Saffron Walden (1999) – have emerged from this race in the last decade and the Group One link doesn’t end there.
Last year’s winner, Famous Name, came within an ace of landing the French Derby while the 2007 victor, Creachadoir, landed last year’s Lockinge for the Godolphin team.
It’s a race pedigree to reckon with and most focus tomorrow will be on Intense Focus whose trainer Jim Bolger had Creachadoir in his care before the horse was transferred to Godolphin.
Intense Focus brings his own Group One credentials to the race having completed a remarkable Dewhurst hat-trick for Bolger and Kevin Manning at Newmarket last October.
The Giants Causeway colt was written off as a 20 to 1 shot but his ample experience came to the fore as he emerged best in a head-bobbing finish with Lord Shanakill and Finjaan.
That was the ninth start of Intense Focus’s career and he is as low as 16 to 1 in ante-post lists to do what both Teofilo and New Approach failed to do and win the 2,000 Guineas in five weeks time.
Bolger also runs the course maiden winner Vocalised in tomorrow’s Group Three and along with the others he gets a 3lb allowance from his stable companion. That could be important, but not important enough to stop Intense Focus.
The 1,000 Guineas Trial has its own history of throwing up Classic winners with Virginia Waters winning four years ago before going on to fill in Aidan O’Brien’s British classic CV in the Guineas at Newmarket.
This time the champion trainer has Heart Shaped running for him. Very fast ground looked to work the oracle for Heart Shaped at the Breeders’ Cup and while going conditions are likely to be decent at Leopardstown this weekend they will hardly be like the road.
There’s no shortage of decent opposition either as Maoineach won a Listed race on her debut before finishing last in the Prix Marcel Boussac while the sole cross-channel raider, Undaunted Affair, has Stakes form from Naas last June.
Chintz landed the Park Stakes in impressive fashion at the Curragh and won over this course and distance on her debut last season.
The David Wachman team are usually not among the first to make a mark in a new Flat season, but Chorus Of Angels won for Wachman at the Curragh last weekend and Chintz’s versatility in terms of ground could be crucial.
Three Rocks is 11lb higher for a decisive victory over six furlongs at the Curragh six days ago, but the Bolger runner should still have big claims in the seven-furlong handicap.
Roman Empress has been backed already this week for the Epsom Oaks and those vouchers will look pretty silly if she can’t land the opener while Shaimaa can go close in the ten-furlong handicap after a nice run over hurdles last weekend.
O'Connor 'critical but stable'
DOCTORS at Cork University Hospital last night continued to keep the injured jockey Matt O'Connor in a medically induced coma after his fall at Thurles races on Thursday, reports Brian O'Connor.
The 21-year-old rider was left unconscious after a fall and was transferred to Cork after initially being taken to Clonmel Hospital.
A spokesperson for the University Hospital yesterday described O'Connor's condition as "critical but stable".
The Turf Club's chief medical officer, Dr Adrian McGoldrick, said yesterday: "Matt is in a medically induced coma which is normal for head injuries. It is really to keep the brain rested. He will be kept under supervision through the weekend."
He also reported: "A brain scan showed no major haemorrhages in the brain so he doesn't require surgery, although obviously there is some bruising. It is a serious injury but he is a young man who is very fit. It's still early days."
O'Connor is stable jockey to Colm Murphy for whom he rode Big Zeb to Grade One success at Leopardstown's Christmas festival.
He has ridden 31 winners in total this season. He took a heavy fall from the Murphy-trained Walkin Aisy at the fifth last fence in the Templemore Beginners Chase at Thurles.
