Caravaggio bids to become the latest in a long line of Ballydoyle superstars to have landed the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes when he puts his huge reputation on the line at the Curragh on Sunday.
Trainer Aidan O’Brien has an astonishing record in the prestigious juvenile contest having saddled 14 of the last 18 winners. The likes of Johannesburg (2001), George Washington (2005) and Holy Roman Emperor (2006) are among those on the roll of honour and Caravaggio will be extremely prohibitive odds to follow in their hoofprints having won each of his three starts to date in dominant fashion.
Since making a successful debut on the all-weather at Dundalk in mid-April, the Scat Daddy colt has waltzed clear in the Marble Hill Stakes before a scintillating victory in the Coventry at Royal Ascot. He is already as short as 3-1 for next season’s 2000 Guineas.
O’Brien said: “Caravaggio has been in good form since Royal Ascot and everyone has been happy with him.”
Star turn
Caravaggio is the star turn in a field of just five runners, with O’Brien saddling Courage Under Fire, who remains a maiden after three starts and can be expected to be deployed as a pacemaker.
The biggest threat to the odds-on favourite appears to be the Ger Lyons-trained Medicine Jack, who has won twice from four appearances and was last seen landing the Railway Stakes over this course and distance on Irish Derby day.
Joseph O’Brien saddles Ambiguity, and Grand Coalition from Johnny Murtagh’s yard completes the line-up.
Air Force Blue has his sights lowered in a bid to get his career back on track in the Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club Phoenix Sprint at the Curragh on Sunday. The son of War Front looked another superstar colt for O’Brien after a hat-trick of Group One victories as a juvenile ensured he was crowned last season’s champion two-year-old.
He was odds-on to claim Classic glory in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket in May, but beat just one horse home, and his two subsequent starts in the Irish 2,000 Guineas and the July Cup have not yielded much of an improvement.
After six consecutive runs in Group One company, Air Force Blue drops down to Group Three level this weekend and is the only three-year-old in a seven-strong field.
Richard Fahey’s Eastern Impact turns out just a week after finishing third in a Listed event at Chester and is joined on the trip from Yorkshire by the David O’Meara-trained Lord Of The Land.
Penultimate start
Mick Halford’s Godolphin runner Toscanini won over the course and distance on his penultimate start and was third to a resurgent Gordon Lord Byron in the Minstrel Stakes on his latest visit to the track.
“He always runs well at the Curragh, he’ll like the good ground and six furlongs is probably his ideal trip,” said Halford. “I suppose strictly on ratings Air Force Blue is the one we all have to beat, but we’re happy with our horse. He’s very consistent and hopefully he’ll run another good race.”
Ireland’s “sprint king” Eddie Lynam is represented by progressive filly Fort Del Oro, who won her third Listed prize at Naas almost three weeks ago.
“She’s a solid filly and I don’t think the ground will bother her,” said Lynam.
The in-form Jim Bolger runs the tough-as-teak Flight Risk, while David Marnane’s stable stalwart Jamesie is back in action eight days after running with credit in the Stewards’ Cup at Goodwood.
