Racing

Optimisim that Irish Classics won’t be domestic only

French 2,000 and 1,000 Guineas on Monday were made up only of French-trained horses

Victor Ludorum won the French 2,000 Guineas on Monday. Photo: Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images

Brian O'Connor's face
Brian O'Connor
Mon Jun 1 2020 - 16:36

June’s beginning saw the start of Europe’s major classics and growing hopes that Ireland can avoid a similar ‘domestic only’ big-race scenario to that which applied in France on Monday.

Switched to Deauville because of Longchamp’s closure due to a coronavrius lockdown in Paris, both French Guineas races were restricted to horses trained in France.

The outcome in the Poule d’Essai des Poulains (French 2,000 Guineas) was an eighth win in the race for Andre Fabre as the 5-4 favourite Victor Ludorum won for Godolphin.

Fabre and jockey Mickael Barzalona were widely expected to double up in the Pouliches (1,000 Guineas) but the favourite Tropbeau could finish only fourth to the 10-1 winner Dream And Do.

READ MORE

Both races took place at the same time as British racing’s long-awaited return at Newcastle and just days before the first English classics are run at Newmarket this weekend.

International runners, including from Ireland, are expected to line up in the 2,000 and 1,000 Guineas despite the logistical headache presented by anyone entering Ireland having to undergo an automatic 14-day isolation period due to Covid-19 guidelines here.

Irish Guineas

That requirement may be stumbling block to overseas-based horses lining up in the Irish Guineas races on Friday and Saturday week at the Curragh.

However authorities at both the Curragh and at Horse Racing Ireland are hopeful the 14-day isolation requirement can be worked around to avoid only local horses lining up in both Guineas and the Irish Derby later this month.

“I know the Curragh are going to work with UK trainers and UK operations to see if they can help facilitate it. You would like to see international competition wherever possible.

“The French situation is a government-imposed restriction. There is no equivalent here. That said, there are logistical complications,” acknowledged HRI’s chief executive Brian Kavanagh.

“A number of different sectors, including our own, have pointed out that this complicates things. But it is government policy in regard to quarantine and we’ve been guided by government policy throughout,” he added.

Major international operations such Godolphin and Juddmonte have major interests in this country.

So it is believed one option for them could be that arrangements are put in place for any classic contender to be sent to Ireland and be met by Irish-based staff who could look after them during their stay in this country.

Racing will resume in Ireland next Monday at Naas with the Irish 2,000 Guineas set to take place the following Friday.

The next classic up for grabs however is Saturday’s English 2,000 Guineas where Frankie Dettori will be on duty for Aidan O’Brien.

Ireland’s champion trainer has four of the 15 entries left in the race on Monday. Ryan Moore is likely to be on board the Ballydoyle No 1 Arizona who will take on Godolphin’s red-hot favourite Pinatubo.

The 14-day isolation rule in Ireland means O’Brien’s usual team of back-up jockeys are likely to stay at home so Dettori is on standby to ride one of the remaining trio, Wichita, Royal Dornoch and New World Tapestry.

Jessica Harrington’s Millisle is among the leading challengers to the favourite Quadrilateral for Sunday’s 1,000 Guineas. A total of 17 fillies remain in the running for that race.

Reappearance

Godolphin got an ideal boost ahead of Pinatubo’s eagerly anticipated reappearance when Victor Ludorum bounced back from a trial defeat to reverse form with The Summit at Deauville.

“He’s a powerful horse and today he showed that his comeback run did him the world of good. I was able to ride him the way I did at two. I didn’t really drop him out, I just rode him for himself,” Barzalona reported.

“He can be a little bit difficult during the preliminaries but he is so straightforward in a race. We went a good even pace and he was just in his racing bubble. He got there gradually and I never had to get serious,” he added.

Victor Ludorum is a general 2-1 favourite to secure a classic double in the French Derby (Prix Du Jockey Club.) That takes place in just over a month’s time during an unprecedentedly concentrated period of classic action necessitated by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The French Oaks (Prix De Diane) will take place on the same day and Dream And Do could attempt a classic double of her own. The filly gave trainer Frederic Rossi a first Group One with her nose defeat of Speak Of The Devil on Monday.