Sport

Samitar to face O'Brien big guns

RACING: MICK CHANNON’S Samitar is the only British entry in the Etihad Airways 1,000 Guineas with Sunday’s Curragh Classic dominated…

Wed May 23 2012 - 01:00

RACING:MICK CHANNON'S Samitar is the only British entry in the Etihad Airways 1,000 Guineas with Sunday's Curragh Classic dominated by Aidan O'Brien.

Wide-margin English Guineas winner Homecoming Queen heads a potential field of 14 – half of which are made up from Ballydoyle fillies.

O’Brien has managed to land this event on five previous occasions, including with Misty For Me 12 months ago.

Others in the line-up are Maybe, who lost her unbeaten record when third as a hot favourite behind Homecoming Queen, while she could be joined by After, Devotion, Ishvana, Soon and Wonderful.

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Samitar was well-beaten in the French Guineas and more obvious other contenders look to be Kevin Prendergast’s Newmarket fifth La Collina and Yellow Rosebud, who was produced by Dermot Weld to win the recent trial at Leopardstown. Weld is also a four-time winner of the Irish Guineas.

Caprella, the Jim Bolger pair of Cleofila and Janey Muddles plus Jessica Harrington’s Princess Sinead are the others in the mix.

A notable absentee was Lightening Pearl. Ger Lyons’s filly won the Group One Cheveley Park Stakes last term but could finish only 13th behind Homecoming Queen at Newmarket on her seasonal return.

That was Lightening Pearl's first crack at a mile and Lyons is now planning to drop back in trip for the tyregiant.comSummer Stakes at York next month.

Mikel Delzangles has confirmed Hermival as an intended starter in Saturday’s Abu Dhabi 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh.

The three-year-old is the clear favourite for the Classic with some bookmakers after running an excellent third behind Camelot in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket earlier this month.

His performance deserves even more credit as he was part of a small group of horses that raced on the far side of the Rowley Mile and Delzangles is hopeful he can show further improvement at the Curragh this weekend.

“It was a very good run at Newmarket. It was only his third start and he did very well,” said the French trainer. “Gregory thought it was definitely a disadvantage as he had to take the lead as the other horses were a bit tired.

“He’s definitely going to travel . He did his last piece of work on Monday and everything went well.”