RACING NEWS:JOHNNY MURTAGH can warm up for his date with St Nicholas Abbey in tomorrow's Newmarket 2,000 Guineas with a couple of winners at Cork this evening. The champion jockey will break from stall 12 on Aidan O'Brien's budding superstar in tomorrow's first Classic of 2010 as he pursues a third Guineas victory.
Unlike Murtagh’s previous winners, Rock Of Gibraltar (2002) and Henrythenavigator (2008), St Nicholas Abbey will start a red-hot favourite when he lines up against 18 others over the Rowley Mile.
Like last year the field will break from stalls placed in the centre of the track and Murtagh should have no trouble securing cover for St Nicholas Abbey who will attempt to emulate O’Brien’s five previous Guineas winners by winning the Classic on his first start of the season.
Elusive Pimpernel will try and copy Sea The Stars who won from stall one last year while other major fancies, Canford Cliffs and Awzaan, are also drawn low.
Fencing Master and Viscount Nelson will also fly the Ballydoyle flag with the latter being Kieren Fallon’s first ride for O’Brien since partnering Dylan Thomas to win the 2007 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. “It is exciting to be back riding for Coolmore and Aidan O’Brien,” Fallon said.
“They are the best horses in the world and they are great people to ride for. On the big day Aidan is the trainer everyone wants to ride for.
“And Viscount Nelson is not just making up the numbers. He has a fantastic pedigree and he was only just beaten in the Champagne,” he added.
Another of the prime English hopes for tomorrow’s big race is the once-raced Inler whose trainer John Best is represented by the former Gimcrack winner Sir Gerry in tonight’s Listed feature at Cork.
A total of 15 line up over the six furlongs, including the 108-rated topweight Snaefell who is unlikely to be suited by the decent ground conditions.
Next highest in the official ratings is Miss Gorica who confirmed her current well-being, and her ability to go on fast ground, when easily winning at Navan last Sunday under a big weight.
Joanna Morgan’s mare has been raised to 107 for that win and looks one to strike while the iron is hot.
Murtagh rides Walk On Bye in the big race and she is just one runner that represents Naas form from behind Velvet Flicker. However her trainer Tommy Stack looks to provide the rider with a better winning prospect with High Award in the opener.
The son of Holy Roman Emperor and Tarascon won well on his Curragh debut in March and reports indicate he should have little trouble coping with this very different surface.
Murtagh teams up with Aidan O’Brien in the concluding 10-furlong fillies maiden and Awe Inspiring looks like being very hard to beat given any sort of progress on the back of her second to Hazrafa at Leopardstown.
Echoes Of History lost out in the final stride of his Dundalk debut to Lingapour who has boosted the form since. David Wachman’s runner looks one to be on in the mile maiden.
In other Newmarket news, Sole Power will fly the Irish flag in tomorrow’s Group Three Palace House Stakes over five furlongs.
The Eddie Lynam-trained colt races in the colours of Sabena Power, mother of bookmaker Paddy Power.
She said: “The plan is to see if he is good enough to run in the Kings Stand at Royal Ascot by running at Newmarket.”
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/YVIRIOZQ35EWRPZXR27KGMO6YU.png)