RACING:AIDAN O'BRIEN'S big-race reach stretches across the Atlantic this weekend with Master Of Hounds attempting history in tonight's Kentucky Derby and Recital trying to secure a Derby place of his own at Leopardstown tomorrow.
Recital remains a general 10 to 1 shot for the Epsom Derby in four weeks, despite a lacklustre start to the season when finishing only third in the Ballysax Stakes last month.
Tomorrow’s Group Two Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial is the traditional next step for Epsom aspirants, and there appears to have been a renewal of Ballydoyle faith in Recital’s chances of following in the Classic footsteps of Galileo, Sinndar and High Chaparral.
But the unpredictability of jockey arrangements at Europe’s most powerful stable this season remains, as the former Ballydoyle number one Kieren Fallon has been drafted in for tomorrow’s ride on Recital in place of Ryan Moore.
During his tumultuous reign at Coolmore, Fallon was usually on duty in France when this race was run so he has never won it. Whether he does this time is debatable, as Recital looked a tricky ride in his run behind Banimpire.
O’Brien also runs Memphis Tennessee and the Ballysax runner-up Regent Street, but the best Coolmore option of all could be the progressive David Wachman-trained Giant Step, who impressed at Cork in a maiden.
Master Of Hounds is an outsider for the 137th Run for the Roses at Churchill Downs tonight, but he is ridden by the top American jockey Garrett Gomez and local experts in Kentucky reckon the Irish horse, trying to become the first European winner of America’s greatest race, would be even more of an outsider in a normal year.
The late defection of Uncle Mo yesterday has robbed the race of some much-needed star quality, and the remaining runners have been widely dismissed as being mainly sub-standard.
Master Of Hounds has never run on dirt and is making a second long journey of the year after finishing runner-up in the UAE Derby in March.
It’s hardly a classic “Durby” prep, but a value bet could be that another unorthodox lead-in may pay off for Animal Kingdom.
Trained by the 46-year-old Englishman Graham Motion, Animal Kingdom has never run on dirt before either, but he has impressed in his work-outs on the track in the last week and the Grade Two winner looks to have a powerful finishing kick.
In contrast, Master Of Hounds has not been impressing local work-watchers since he arrived in Louisville on Tuesday and faces an uphill battle against the Florida Derby winner Dialed In and Soldat, who scored the Arkansas Derby last time.
O’Brien’s hopes look brighter at home, where Gemstone can earn her own Classic place with a victory in the 1,000 Guineas Trial.
The Galileo filly’s chances were not helped at Navan last time when she had to be re-shod at the start, and Gemstone looks worth another shot, while the ultra-consistent Famous Name will be a short price to repeat his 2010 triumph in the Group Three Amethyst Stakes.
