Much of 2013 proved to be a "write-off" for John Oxx but the Curragh trainer kicks off the 2014 campaign with a vengeance this weekend and already has classic glory in the 1,000 Guineas in his sights with My Titania who is a general 12-1 shot for Newmarket in May.
In the short term though, Saddler's Rock is due to run on Saturday's World Cup card at Meydan and then on Sunday Oxx will have his first runners of the Irish turf season at Leopardstown when the classic-entry Ebanoran heads a quartet of Currabeg runners in the Listed 2,000 Guineas Trial.
Winner of his sole start at the Curragh last October, Ebanoran is quoted as a 25-1 in some ante-post lists for the Newmarket 2,000 Guineas.
Those odds will be put to the test at the weekend with Aidan O’Brien confirming the unbeaten Indian Maharaja a likely starter and Shining Emerald also one of the 14 left in the mile event which was won by the subsequent classic heroes Refuse To Bend and Grey Swallow in 2003 and 2004.
Oxx yesterday described Ebanoran’s Guineas entry as “speculative” but admitted that he holds out more hopes for his current crop of three-year-olds than he has done so for some time.
An illness
Without a Group One victory since 2009, and the peerless Sea The Stars, last season was compromised for the Oxx team by an illness in the yard and later in the year came confirmation that the Aga Khan wouldn't be sending any new yearlings to the Currabeg yard which has seen a succession of star performers emerge from it over the years.
However Oxx said yesterday: “We have plenty of new clients, a nice team of two year olds, and a better crop of three year olds than we have had in a while.
“Whether they are up to winning Group Ones is in the lap of the Gods. Group One winners don’t come every year, certainly not for me.
“A Sea The Stars comes along once in a lifetime, and others every now and again if you’re very lucky. But we look to have a good balance.”
Sea The Stars is the sire of My Titania who wound up last season winning the Park Stakes and will make her first start of 2014 in the Guineas.
“Prep runs are difficult for fillies at this time of year. This weekend’s trial is too early for instance.
“But My Titania is very forward in herself, and in her coat, and is going nicely. She’s quite sharp anyway and the plan remains to go straight for the Guineas. It’s a big step up from Group Three to Group One but I’m pleased with her,” the trainer said.
The Dundalk maiden winner Harry’s Princess will instead run for Oxx in Sunday’s Group Three feature which was won by Aidan O’Brien’s subsequent 1,000 Guineas winners Homecoming Queen (2012) and Virginia Waters (2005.)
The champion trainer can choose from four entries this including both Bracelet and Marvellous while Dermot Weld has left in the promising Balansiya.
Ten furlong
Ground conditions at Leopardstown yesterday were "soft" but Oxx is hoping for some improvement by the weekend where the highly-touted Marakoush is likely to line up in a ten furlong maiden before Ebanoran runs in the colts trial.
“Ebanoran has a speculative Guineas entry. He hardly did enough as a two year old to justify that but you have to cover it,” he said.
"There are a couple of highly rated horses currently in the race and if they line up we should learn a lot more about our horse."
Ground conditions
Another Trial entry is Obliterator who has Ger Lyons also thinking of the 2,000 Guineas and hoping for an improvement in ground conditions.
“He wouldn’t run if the ground was very soft. Leopardstown is a funny track as even if the ground is softer everywhere else, sometimes it doesn’t get too bad there so we’ll play it by ear,” the Co Meath trainer said yesterday.
“The Guineas at Newmarket is the plan.
“Only time will tell if he is good enough but we like what we have seen. We have a nice bunch of horses but he would probably be our main hope for the season at this stage,” he added.
