Irish Racing: Leopardstown Sunday Preview

Features / Timeform / 27 March 2010 / Leave a comment

Johnny Murtagh has a good book of rides at Leopardstown on Sunday

A lot of the attention this weekend will focus upon Doncaster's two-day festival to open the British turf season. There is also a fascinating card at Leopardstown on Sunday, however, including trials for both the 1000 and 2000 Guineas.

"[You'll Be Mine] earned a Timeform large P after an eye-catching fourth on her debut and retained that status to the end of the season, her best effort coming when fast-tracked to Group 1 company for her final start, meeting trouble in running when third in the Fillies’ Mile at Ascot."

Aidan O'Brien has four runners in the former event. Johnny Murtagh's mount is Famous, who enjoyed a good time of things last year, boasting some top-level form courtesy of her Moyglare Stud Stakes second at the Curragh. There's every chance that she'll get her own way out in front as well. Another of the Ballydoyle quartet is ante-post favourite for the Oaks, You'll Be Mine. She earned a Timeform large P after an eye-catching fourth on her debut and retained that status to the end of the season, her best effort coming when fast-tracked to Group 1 company for her final start, meeting trouble in running when third in the Fillies' Mile at Ascot. It's rather surprising that she looks the stable second string for all that seven furlongs may already be on the sharp side for her. With other runners including the Weld Park Stakes winner Lady Springbank and the promising Karasiyra (not beaten far by You'll Be Mine on her debut) this promises to be an above-average renewal, and highly informative for the weeks ahead to boot.

Ballydoyle have a strong hand in the 2000 Guineas trial as well, represented by Black Quartz, Fighting Brave and Viscount Nelson. The last-named of that trio is the one with the pattern-race form, having chased home Poet's Voice in the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster's St Leger meeting last year, but Black Quartz is arguably even more interesting judged on his nursery success at Galway last August, when conceding lumps of weight to a subsequent listed race winner and edging home by a short head (pair well clear). This is a race with plenty of depth outside of the Aidan O'Brien contingent, however, with Killavullen Stakes winner Free Judgement in the line up, as well as Stunning View, who split Kingsfort and Viscount Nelson on his debut and won a Galway maiden before blotting his copybook in a sales race on his final start. This is unlikely to be much of a trial for the 2000 Guineas in truth, at least the British version, as O'Brien is withholding his two aces, St Nicholas Abbey and Steinbeck, but it should throw up its share of pattern-race winners in the coming season all the same.

Another race to watch with notebook at the ready is the fillies' maiden which opens the day and includes a clutch of well-bred, expensive sorts representing top yards. This has been farmed by Aidan O'Brien in recent years with his four wins since 2004 including future Oaks third All My Loving, and he's well represented again, but so too are the team who collected the 2008 renewal with Beach Bunny, Kevin Prendergast saddling Brazilian Beauty here, who was last seen when a highly promising second at Navan in October.
The colts and geldings maiden later in the day is notable for the inclusion of Behtarini, who crossed swords with several horses who ended last year plying their trade at the highest level, including Chabal, Jan Vermeer and Midas Touch, and should open his account. The two handicaps to round off proceedings are typically competitive, but it may pay to watch out for Giant Slalom in the last. He won this race off a similar mark last year and has a good record fresh.