Born To Sea to pull the hood over rivals' eyes

RACING:BORN TO SEA, the last produce of a legendary mother, can produce a series of firsts in the opening Irish Classic of 2012 at the Curragh today.

The son of Urban Sea, who can count Sea The Stars and Galileo as brothers, will stand out among the 11 starters in the Abu Dhabi Irish 2,000 Guineas having been declared to wear a hood in the big race.

Officially Born To Sea will be donning first-time blinkers due to an administrative quirk that doesn’t legislate for an unusual piece of equipment that has nothing to do with vision but everything to do with the ears.

After an abortive attempt on the English Guineas three weeks ago, where Born To Sea ran much too freely in the early stages, trainer John Oxx is using the hood as a means of helping jockey Pat Smullen to better settle the colt.

Smullen has got the plum spare ride as Oxx’s other runner, Takar, is owned by the Aga Khan who retains Johnny Murtagh in Ireland.

Between the pair, Oxx has to be optimistic of claiming a first Irish 2,000 Guineas victory which would complete his set of Classics in Ireland. Smullen also has yet to win this race.

In contrast, up against them will be a four-strong Ballydoyle challenge attempting to give Aidan O’Brien an eighth win in the race and an ante-post favourite, Parish Hall, who could earn an Epsom Derby place, and a first Irish Guineas for trainer Jim Bolger, if successful this afternoon.

Hermival, third to Camelot in the English Guineas earlier this month, will attempt to become just the second French-trained winner in the 91-year history of the Guineas while Trumpet Major, a place behind Hermival at Newmarket, represents the powerful Richard Hannon team.

With Camelot currently appearing outstanding among the Classic crop, today’s race may not have a superstar presence but it is competitive enough to make allowances necessary when making a case for a Born To Sea victory. However, they don’t have to be outrageous allowances.

Maybe expectations around him at Newmarket were inflated by his illustrious relations but it remains a fact that the notoriously picky Oxx brought him to Newmarket with hopes of a very good run.

Takar, for instance, never figured on the Newmarket radar yet is shorter in the betting on the back of a Listed win on bad ground.

Born To Sea won a Listed on his debut and should have no problems with today’s quick conditions. What will be crucial to his chance is his willingness to switch off in the early stages – hence the hood.

“The Newmarket race will have done him good, it will hopefully have knocked all the freshness out of him. He was ever so keen and lost his chance after two furlongs,” Oxx said yesterday.

“He’s been blossoming since, though, and the bit of nice weather has helped – he’ll like the better ground.

“The hood should help him settle, it has done at home anyway. The hood is just a step up from earplugs,” he added.

Ground conditions are also expected to suit Parish Hall but a first start of the year for the Dewhurst winner is an obvious concern at short odds.

There is no such worry about Trumpet Major who is expected to like the fast conditions.

“He got away with soft ground in the Craven but Hughesie felt similar conditions in the Guineas blunted his speed,” Richard Hannon said yesterday.

“In the circumstances he ran a stormer having looked the winner in the dip.”

Power never looked a winner at any time in the Guineas, and neither did Daddy Long Legs in the Kentucky Derby. Significantly it is Wrote, coming back to a mile, that has attracted betting support among the Ballydoyle quartet this week.

Sea The Stars, Galileo, nor any of the other stars produced by Urban Sea needed headgear of any sort to win. Born To Sea might be different, but he could yet join his family’s Classic roll-of-honour.

British-trained horses have won five of the last six renewals of the Weatherbys Greenlands Stakes and it is nine years since a three-year-old won the Group Three sprint. However, Coolmore are attacking it with a vengeance including with the Middle Park winner Crusade. Hitchens, though, is proven on the track and was in splendid form in Meydan during the spring.

LYNAM OPTIMISTIC: Sole Power bids for back-to-back victories

IRISH TRAINER Eddie Lynam is optimistic his star sprinter Sole Power can score back-to-back victories in today's Betfred Temple Stakes at Haydock, writes Brian O'Connor.

Sole Power beat Kingsgate Native in the Group Two race last year to prove his 2010 Group One victory in the Nunthorpe was no fluke.

He was in good form during the spring in Meydan and will team up for the first time with British champion jockey Paul Hanagan today.

"Everything's gone very well and he's taken everything in his stride. The good to firm ground looks ideal, my only hope is they don't over water," said the Co Meath-based Lynam yesterday.

"Bated Breath is respected and there's also Tangerine Trees in there, but this looks a good opportunity for him," he added.

"His work has gone well since Dubai and he's trained on nicely. Paul is champion jockey so we're very lucky to have got him.

"He's a top professional and rides Haydock very well," added Lynam.