One of the biggest races in the calendar is taking place today at the Curragh and it promises to be a truly spectacular contest. Let’s take a look at some of the key runners.
HIGH DEFINITION (9/4) - As a two year old this colt looked like a potential superstar in the making. He did everything effortlessly and all the vibes coming out of Ballydoyle were incredibly positive. Looking at the form of his juvenile races, the 6 horses behind him in the Beresford Stakes are all now rated 100+ and have held their own in graded races this season. Looking at his pedigree, he’s a Galileo out of a Fastnet Rock mare. That is a breeding profile that Aidan knows extremely well and whilst in the past the bloodline has failed to produce at the very top level, I don’t think any of the previous progeny have had HIGH DEFINITIONS level of class. Ultimately, we all know that this race has been the target for sometime and that the next step will be The Ledger. We all know he’s been tearing up the gallops in the last 2 weeks and for that reason, and given what he showed at 2, he’s without doubt the horse to beat.
HURRICANE LANE (5/1) - This Frankel colt beat the favourite in the Dante when putting in a career best performance. Whilst I do think that this particular course and distance will suit the horse, it’s very difficult to see him confirming that form with HIGH DEFINITION given what we know about the favourite and how he has been plotted. That being said though, HURRICANE LANE is clearly a talented individual and offers some EW value.
MAC SWINEY (8/1) - This colt has always been held in high regard by his connections and they were over the moon to see him win the Irish 2000 Guineas. That form has a solid look to it given what POETIC FLARE did at Royal Ascot but I’m just not convinced that he really wants this kind of test. Only time will tell though.
LONE EAGLE (8/1) - For me this horse is the unknown quantity in this contest. He was incredibly progressive last season and the form of his run at Sandown back in April has taken a massive boost over the last couple of weeks. Following that run he had a bit of a set back but returned at Goodwood with a truly emphatic win. The fact that Martyn has managed to land Frankie for the ride is also a massive plus and for me, he’s the horse to look to take on the favourite with.
MOJO STAR (17/2) - An unexposed colt who has a nice pedigree and a nice attitude. He ran big in the Derby on his last start but this is an entirely different test and its very hard to see him winning. He may well snatch a place though.
CONCLUSION
I personally don’t think there is any doubt that HIGH DEFINITION could potential go and blow this field away. If he did I wouldn’t be at all surprised but for me, there are still questions for him to answer and for that reason, I’ve opted for the EW play on LONE EAGLE (8/1) as I just think if the fav does flop, he’ll be the horse to pick up the pieces.
Best of luck with your bets and hopefully all the horses come home safe and sound. 🦆