It is a typical small field for the Phoenix Stakes (G1) August 9 in Curragh – only two innovations since 2017 have eight or more runners – but the race rarely misses intrigues, and this year is no different.
Royal Ascot Winners and Aidan O’Brien-Train Stablemates Gstaad And True love Could put it against each other, but another type of intrigues arose on Friday afternoon when the trainer reported that the first “a bit quiet in himself after his last work this morning”.
“He has been trained for this race all the time, and everything had disappeared perfectly,” said O’Brien. “We will keep a close eye on him and I would not want to risk him if I didn’t think he was 100%.”
When Gstaad eats and shoots on all cylinders, the battle for the sexes will be a seductive prospect in a Phoenix that would serve as round two after the couple would meet in a six-follow girl in Navan in May. It was the apparent second string Gstaad who then prevailed and defeated his better depicted Stablemate, who went on 2-5, with three-quarters of a length.
True Love’s prize that day was based on the promise of her second place on her debut, when she split the smart lady Iman and the repeat Power Blue In a listed company on this track.
Gstaad easily won the Coventry Stakes (G2), but there is no doubt No no Filly justified 9-4 favoritism when he was dropped to the minimum journey for the Queen Mary Stakes (G2) at Royal Ascot.
The race did not ideally come out for her. She led the near-side group, and all around her began to fall away on the quarter pole, which resulted in true love that had to race alone in an essential stage of the race, when the other groups were at the forefront. As soon as Ryan Moore, however, races in the middle in Zelaina in the middle, she started shooting home and finally scored with a length and a quarter.
If Gstaad is not suitable for running, Moore Wayne Lordan will replace true love, and she would be the one to beat. Ballydoyle would not want a search to be seen how effective she is more than five furlongs, and Puerto Rico could probably continue without pressure. In such circumstances, true love would probably have a change in gear in the last few Furlongs that her rivals cannot match.
Green Sense looks the greatest danger. After she had left her girl on course and distance in April in an impressive way, she finished second for Lady Iman at Naas. She was good for the Albany, but did not shot, maybe the fast land that hit her chance, and she came back on the right track on an easier surface when she kept landing the Prix Robert Papin (G2) on Chantilly last time.
The ground will be on the fast side here, but it will not be as fast as with Ascot, so she should be good at it and she certainly looks the trouble of this shot in a group 1.
“We have been happy with her since her victory in the Papin,” said trainer Joseph O’Brien about green feeling. “She is a group 2 winner and it would be great to get a black type of group 1.
“The race and distance should fit well, and she won her girl over it. We hope for a good run.”
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