Joseph O’Brien targets trans-Atlantic big race success in Saratoga

Joseph O’Brien’s radar extends from Galway to Goodwood and on to upstate New York on Friday night where he has a couple of Oaks contenders in Saratoga.

Having memorably landed the Saratoga Derby with State Of Rest in 2021, O’Brien is now targeting the $400,000 Saratoga Oaks, a Grade Three contest off at 9.34pm Irish time.

Both Caroline Street (Tyler Gaffalione) and American Sonja (Joel Rosario) are in the mix as reports in the US suggest Fozzy Stack’s Aspen Grove will wait for Saturday’s $600,000 Saratoga Derby.

Aspen Grove supplied Stack with a first top-level success a month ago when emerging best in the Belmont Oaks

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O’Brien also has an interest in Saturday’s Grade One contest with The Franchise, a recent Curragh handicap winner.

Caroline Street, winner of the Blue Wind Stakes at Naas, is set to renew rivalry with the French hope Elusive Princess who finished ahead of her when both failed to make the frame in last month’s Prix De Diane behind Blue Rose Cen.

She is a 10-1 shot in local morning-line betting with American Sonja a couple of points longer.

O’Brien’s Friday kicks off at Goodwood where the outsider Montesilvano takes his chance in a Group Three contest that also includes Jessica Harrington’s Bold Discovery.

Other Irish interest at Goodwood revolves around Johnny Murtagh’s sprinter Ladies Church who will have Ben Coen in the plate when lining up for the Group Two King George Stakes.

She takes on the likely favourite Highfield Princess in a race Murtagh won as a rider in 2008 aboard Enticing. The last Irish-trained winner was Dermot Weld’s Agnetha in 2002.

In recent years Friday evening’s action has turned into the Galway festival’s busiest programme with almost 25,000 cramming in a year ago. In 2019 attendance levels reached almost 31,000.

Joseph O’Brien’s handful of Ballybrit contenders includes Royal Ascot hero Dawn Rising who has to concede weight all round in a conditions event.

The mile-and-six-furlong distance is well short of the marathon trip that saw him emerge on top in Ascot’s Queen Alexandra Stakes, flat racing’s longest test.

Dawn Rising renews rivalry with Stratum who won the previous two Queen Alexandra’s but failed to fire in his hat-trick bid although he is favoured at Friday’s weights.

Willie Mullins resorts to first-time cheek-pieces for Stratum, one of three runners the trainer has in the race. His team also includes Mt Leinster who races for the first time in Annette Mee’s colours.

Last year’s winner Shanroe also takes his chance in a competitive heat although Dawn Rising’s Savel Beg third earlier this summer suggests he doesn’t require extreme stamina tests to be effective.

Friday’s festival feature, the €110,000 Guinness Handicap, looks ultra-competitive and includes Monday’s big-race winner Teed Up. The in-form Zoffman is another leading contender.

The top weight for a later handicap, Rio Largo, won earlier this week although perhaps more interest will be paid to further down the weights.

Tony Martin’s Navy Beach is right at the bottom and drops back to a mile after running a decent third at 10 furlongs in Down Royal last time.

Partisan Hero was a never-nearer third at Killarney on his last start and might be able to overcome a wide draw for Dermot Weld.

Terrestrial TV coverage switches to TG4 on Friday evening and the 20-runner Galway Blazers Chase should be a notable spectacle for the cameras.

Desertmore House is an intriguing runner off a mark of 127 given his sole and successful start over fences to date.

The much more experienced Arrycan is 6lb higher for winning at Punchestown in June but looks like he should be suited by such a test.