Beethoven set for Goodwood

RACING: BEETHOVEN IS set to return to Goodwood this Saturday for a Group Two prize that could further boost Aidan O'Brien's attempts to regain the British trainers' championship.

O’Brien is already well clear at the top of the trainer’s table in Ireland, with a tally of just over €3 million, over double the prizemoney total of his nearest rival, Dermot Weld.

However, he is also involved in a triple-headed battle in Britain where only a couple of hundred thousand pounds separates Michael Stoute and Richard Hannon from O’Brien.

The Ballydoyle trainer has notched up over €2 million in Britain already this year and by the end of the year could again bring off a championship double that he has completed already on four occasions in 2001, 02, 07 and 08.

Goodwood’s Totesport Celebration Mile is the weekend highlight in Britain this Saturday and Beethoven is among nine entries left in an event that has been dominated by Stoute with six wins in the last 10 years.

Stoute could be represented by the Juddmonte-owned Main Aim who is stepped back up to a mile after running fourth to Lord Shanakill over seven furlongs at Goodwood last time.

Other home hopes may include Godolphin’s Rio De La Plata as well as the Jersey winner Rainfall, but last year’s Dewhurst winner, Beethoven, will be a major player judged on his fourth to Canford Cliffs and Rip Van Winkle in last month’s Sussex Stakes over the course and distance.

Beethoven has since won the Group Three Desmond Stakes in impressive fashion at Leopardstown and is set to have his 15th career start on Saturday with O’Brien confirming yesterday: “We have left Beethoven in and we will be having a look at that race during the week.”

O’Brien also has Sunday’s Group One Moyglare Stud Stakes in his sights and while running plans will be clearer after today’s forfeit stage he yesterday mentioned Wild Wind, Why, Misty For Me and Together as possible starters.

In the longer term, plans are still not firmed up for some other Ballydoyle stars with Fame And Glory and Cape Blanco, the last two Irish Derby winners, both in contention to appear in Saturday week’s Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown.

“We are looking at that race with both of them. Fame And Glory is also in an Arc trial the following weekend but we are looking at the Irish Champion for him. Both are possible runners,” said O’Brien.

“Rip Van Winkle seems fine after York and the QEII is a possible for him still, although nothing is certain,” he added. “St Nicholas Abbey is back in work but there are no targets yet. A decision will be taken in the next three weeks to a month.”

O’Brien sends three lesser-lights to Sligo this evening including the pair, Bright Horizon and Lastofthemohicans, who top the ratings in the 10-furlong handicap. The Weld and Bolger yards are also represented in this race but there could be a classic link to the winner with Tom Mullins providing King’s Vintage under the good apprentice Danny Mullins.

The daughter of Vintage Tipple couldn’t emulate her dam by winning the Irish Oaks on her last start but she wasn’t disgraced in eighth behind Snow Fairy at the Curragh and a mark of 80 doesn’t look onerous for a filly that was able to beat Top Spin in a Killarney maiden.

Dermot Weld has Treasure The Cross in that race but his chance today looks like being Welcome Addition in the mile-and-a-quarter maiden.

The daughter of Theatrical proved she can handle soft ground on her debut in March and wasn’t beaten too far behind the smart Zarebiya at Leopardstown last month.

West Cork-based trainer John Murphy has hit a hot streak of form and brings City Line back to the course and distance over which he won at the start of the month.