CALUM McCLURKIN’S RACING DIARY: Even O’Brien’s second string holds all the aces in big races
- Illinois is one of three teams to stand out at the St Leger Test, while Los Angeles is poised to win the Irish Champion Stakes as Team Ballydoyle is shaken up
- Value hard to come by in Doncaster, but two horses are of long-term interest for the Ayr Gold Cup, a week after the final Classic of the season
If the preliminary rounds are to be believed, Los Angeles looks certain to take part in the Irish Champion Stakes against St Leger at Doncaster in two weeks’ time.
Not that Aidan O’Brien’s hand has been significantly weakened by the predictable diversion of the Irish Derby and Great Voltigeur winner. Ryan Moore has always maintained that Los Angeles was ‘too classy’ for the Leger and while the mile and a quarter in the Irish Champion Stakes might be on the sharp side, it is a much more suitable race to watch before the Arc at Longchamp in October. Many French horses, Waldgeist for example, have used the Irish Champion as a good platform for that race.
With City Of Troy looking to finish the season on dirt, Los Angeles is the number one three-year-old at Ballydoyle looking to win the big prizes in Europe. Classy, brave and not reliant on the ground, O’Brien still has the top three in the market for the final British Classic of the season. The horse that narrowly beat Los Angeles at York is the clear favourite. Illinois was a distant second in the Voltigeur and won the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot. In between those efforts he was second in the Grand Prix de Paris.
At 113 and a proven stayer open to progress, he will have a tough job to do. Grosvenor Square is similarly rated and won the Irish Leger Trial by 20 lengths in devastating fashion, while Jan Breughel is unbeaten in his three starts and won a weak-looking Gordon Stakes by a narrow margin on a sharp track that probably didn’t suit him. He completes the O’Brien trio and is the least exposed, although he still needs some work on his form book.
An eighth Leger for O’Brien certainly seems likely, but there are a couple of alternative options. Sunway was a close second in the Irish Derby and could serve trainer David Menuisier well. Ancient Wisdom is another contender for Godolphin, with Charlie Appleby’s colt taking a big step forward when winning the Bahrain Trophy at Newmarket. Deira Mile’s close fourth in the Derby could also put him in the mix for Owen Burrows.
So it is certainly not a penalty for O’Brien, but he once again holds all the aces.
Los Angeles (far right) appears to be avoiding the St Leger, but Illinois (center) will
Trainer Aidan O’Brien has won the St Leger, the world’s oldest classic race, seven times
Ryan Moore is likely to stay with Los Angeles for the Irish champions and not be in Doncaster
Two arrows earn early support for Ayr Gold Cup assignment
The Leger market isn’t that valuable, so why not take a week-long bet at 25-1 and 33-1 odds on two three-year-olds for the Ayr Gold Cup on September 21?
The six-furlong sprint handicap is the toughest flat race in Scotland and a race that has been targeted by trainer Kevin Ryan in the past. SERGENT WILKO was given a 5lb penalty for his recent Goodwood win, which gives him a rating of 96, which should qualify him for the race.
He has won each of his last three starts and could still be ahead of the handicapper. His flashy racing style is very reminiscent of 2021 race winner Bielsa, who was also owned by King Power Racing and trained by Ryan. He would like a bit of rain and there is plenty of rain in the long-term forecast. The general 25-1 with Betfair and Paddy Power is worth buying.
The next arrow requires a bigger leap into the unknown, BALLYMOUNT BOY hasn’t achieved much lately, but this promising youngster was only a length behind Vandeek last season. He hasn’t shown much this year, but has dropped to a score of 97 and may finally show some spark.
He was gelded before his last start at York and lost a further 3lb for that ordinary effort. Hopefully he can improve considerably for that outing and can handle any ground. Adrian Keatley is another trainer who successfully tackles big northern handicaps and he may be worth a little try at long odds (33-1, William Hill) to rediscover some of his Group One standard two-year-old form after a career low.
Performance of the week…
John and Thady Gosden haven’t had the best seasons, but FGOLDFIELD looked a good candidate when he won the Solario Stakes at Sandown. The yard and ownership won this Group Three youngster with Field Of Gold’s sire Kingman and there was much to like about his physicality. He should be a top-class three-year-old, coming up nicely to win by three-quarters of a length. The Lagardere on Arc weekend looks an ideal race for him.