RACING:ST NICHOLAS Abbey's expected MacArthur-like return at the Curragh yesterday instead turned distinctly "Waterlooish" as Europe's champion juvenile of 2009 could finish only third at odds of 4 to 11.
Having his first start since flopping as favourite in last year’s 2,000 Guineas, St Nicholas Abbey failed to overhaul both the winner, Unaccompanied, whose previous start was in the Triumph Hurdle, and Cilium, whose previous form resulted in a 33 to 1 starting price, in the geegeez.co.uk Alleged Stakes.
Quite what the SP as regards St Nicholas Abbey’s future might be was unclear although Aidan O’Brien was not hitting any panic buttons about the performance of a horse whose talent he has ranked alongside any of the other champions he has handled.
“He was a bit keen and it was a steadily run race. He took a blow and the first two were gone by the time he was running on again,” the champion trainer said. “It’s his first start in a long time and today was all about getting him started again. It’s hard to have them at peak fitness at this time of year on this ground when you’re looking further down the road,” O’Brien added. “We’ll go home now and draw up a plan for him.”
It’s worth remembering that Fame And Glory was also third in the Alleged last year at 2 to 5 odds before going on to win a pair of Group Ones but for a horse once hyped as being a new Sea The Stars, yesterday’s display was distinctly underwhelming.
Certainly beating such a lustrous name won’t mean any change in plan for Unaccompanied who will revert back to hurdles for Punchestown’s Grade One championship next month.
“It’s the logical next step and I can see her being a very high-class dual-purpose horse next season,” Dermot Weld said. “She is a fine big filly and I see a big future for her over jumps.”
The Ballydoyle team had earlier welcomed back another 1,000 Guineas candidate as Sing Softly proved a length too good for Defining Year in the Loughbrown Stakes with the other joint-favourite, Glor Na Mara, a distant last of the six runners.
It was a performance that had Sing Softly cut to as low as 20 to 1 for Newmarket although stamina doubts about the mile could see her go to the Longchamp 1,000 Guineas instead. “We weren’t sure about the seven furlongs on that ground but she got it well and if they can do that on soft ground they have a chance of staying a mile,” O’Brien said.
The well-backed Marksmanship made a winning debut for O’Brien and his son, Joseph, in the 10-furlong maiden and could be stepped up next for a Derby trial.
“There were a good few fancied and he looked a clear-cut winner,” the trainer said. “He was badly drawn but got a nice position easily and did it all nicely.”
Former Irish international athlete David Keoghan, husband of best-selling author Cecilia Ahern, saw his colours carried to a second successive Group Three victory this Spring as Lolly For Dolly short-headed The Cheka in the Big Bad Bob Gladness Stakes.
“I think she’s better at a mile than seven furlongs. It’s a good job it wasn’t six and a half anyway!” joked trainer Tommy Stack’s son, Fozzy, after a dramatic finish.
“She could come back for the Athasi, but that’s seven as well and if the ground was suitable at Newmarket over Guineas weekend she could go for a nine-furlong race there instead.”
The other end of the distance spectrum will be the plan for Samain who won his third bumper when impressively landing the Rockview Final Series.
“He’s probably the best bumper horse in Ireland this season and there was a bit more in the tank there,” said his jockey, Patrick Mullins, after a six-length defeat of Shadow Eile.
West Coast Dream secured back-to-back weekend handicap victories when making light of the drop back in trip for the six-furlong handicap.
“What happens now depends on the handicapper,” said Tyrone-based trainer Andy Oliver.
“But we’re just running him while he’s fit and well and he is versatile in terms of trip.”
