Racing Weekend round-upOne Cool Cat yet again made his $3.1 million purchase price look like small change when ending his first season with a scintillating success in yesterday's Dunnes Stores National Stakes.
Aidan O'Brien might have tasted Classic success with Brian Boru's Doncaster St Leger on Saturday, and High Chaparral may be on track for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, but it was his star two-year-old that seemed to provoke real animation in the trainer. "When he goes, he just goes whoosh!" he exclaimed. "I've never seen that in a horse before. Mick (Kinane) said he was almost dangerous. He is finished for the season now. He is going to move in beside me for the winter. Maybe I'll knock a door for him into the bedroom!"
From the O'Brien school of quiet diplomacy such talk was verging on giddy but it was hard to blame him, or Ladbrokes, for cutting One Cool Cat down to 5 to 2 favourite for the 2,000 Guineas.
Despite getting a less than clear run through from last place, One Cool Cat powered past the big English hope Pearl Of Love who got run out of second by the outsider Wathab.
A jink left at the line, plus an understandable reluctance to over exert himself once the job was done, still couldn't stop the Storm Cat colt recording a time almost three seconds faster than Refuse To Bend last year.
"He is able to bridge any amount of ground very easily and next thing you are right on top of them. I got there too soon today," said Kinane.
Pearl Of Love's trainer Mark Johnston made no excuses and said: "During the race I thought if he beats us now then fair enough because we got the run of the race."
O'Brien later said that One Cool Cat's next race is likely to be the 2,000 Guineas itself but before that he is planning some international raids. Brian Boru could go for the Arc or the Breeders' Cup Turf while the Irish Leger third Powerscourt may take part in Woodbine's Canadian International next month.
Dermot Weld confirmed that the Irish Leger winner Vinnie Roe will take his chance in the Arc and also indicated that if he is to have a Melbourne Cup runner it will be the Royal Ascot winner In Time's Eye. "He goes into quarantine today but he can come out and run in the Cumberland Lodge Stakes if we decide to go that way. Or we can send him out to Australia early and run him in the Caulfield Cup and try to make sure he gets into the Melbourne Cup," said Weld, who was speaking after Hymn Of Love made all to win the Solonaway Stakes.
O'Brien's great weekend was nearly made even better when Yesterday went down by a head to a tenacious performance by Mezzo Soprano in Longchamp's Group One Prix Vermeille.
The Arc trials meeting witnessed Dalakhani enjoy the perfect preparation for his tilt at the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe as he emerged triumphant from the battle of the Derby winners in the Prix Niel.
The Aga Khan-owned colt was sent into the lead a furlong from home in the Group Two contest and with Christophe Soumillon merely keeping the winner up to his work, the colt held the persistent challenge of the eye-catching Doyen by a length and a half. Vodafone Derby hero Kris Kin had to settle for third place, a further two and a half lengths adrift
Listowel's seven day festival gets under way this afternoon with the two-year-olds enjoying the prime focus in the Premier Nursery. Alamshar's winning debut at the track last year emphasised how competitive these type of races can be here and the topweight in today's feature, Steel Light, boasts an impressive 102 rating.
Lurking at the bottom of the handicap, however, is the Limerick winner Dame Facile who has just 7-12 to carry and the good apprentice takes another 5lb off.
Proven on quick going, the Irene Oakes trained filly can beat Steel Light and Alexander Goldrun.
