It was an inconclusive week as far as Classic trials were concerned. Chester threw up nothing really, with erstwhile Derby favourite US Army Ranger scrambling home in receipt of weight from his stablemate and the Oaks trial and Dee Stakes telling us nothing of any interest. Lingfield’s downgraded Classic trials looked mundane beforehand and the results look like mundane form afterward.
So all eyes will be on York’s Dante meeting after this afternoon’s meeting at Leopardstown, where the fields do not exactly look inspiring in what are seen as the main Irish Classic trials.
Will the first time blinkers do the trick for Dermot Weld’s Emergent? Now Or Never was well beaten last time but King Kieran is not on her just for the riding fee. Misty Millie holds the key to this as the only confirmed front runner.
With half the field, Ballydoyle look to maintain their stranglehold on the Derby Trial (nine wins this century) but I can see a third year without success as none of the four scream Derby on form; and I have concerns about both Shogun and Idaho in terms of their attitude. So this could be between Dermot Weld’s well touted Sea The Stars colt Tirmizi and Richard Hannon’s Ventura Storm. Do I take a chance on the former?
With just five in the Prix Greffulhe at Saint Cloud, it scarcely looks worth mentioning Robin Of Navan facing old foe Cloth Of Stars over the course and distance of their last encounter but on very different ground.