2018 Flat Issue 9 - Ed out in front

Headlines

Yucatan lands

Current Shocks Rivals at Windsor

Report

At the Curragh on Sunday in the 1m 2f group 3 Yucatan ( Cliff), took his chance, Soon led, pushed along over 2f out, wandered slightly inside final furlong and stayed on well winning by 1l. He gets 37.4 points.

At Windsor on Monday in the 1m Novice stakes Humbolt Current ( Martin), went to post, Tracked leading trio, pushed along and struggling to go the pace over 3f out, driven along in 3rd over 1f out, stayed on under pressure to lead final strides, winning by a head. He gets 23.8 points.

The  John Torpey Memorial Trophy

                    July          Total

Cliff                 37.4            671.2

Tony                00               394.9

Neil                 00                322.2

Steve               00                   301.2

Bob                 00                  271.2

Martin           23.8               201.8      

Cod                00                  148.9

Peej             00                  111.8

News

Oisin Murphy is keeping his fingers crossed Roaring Lion can provide him with a first Group One success in Britain in Saturday's Coral-Eclipse.

Murphy also sees Aidan O'Brien's dual Group One-winning filly Happily as a threat.

"The weight-for-age is huge and obviously Happily would get the sex allowance on top of that," the jockey told The Punter

Connections of Veracious have not yet firmed up future plans for the exciting filly following her fine effort in defeat at Royal Ascot. The three-year-old holds entries in the Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket on July 13, the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood on August 2 and the Matron Stakes at Leopardstown on September 15.

Connections of Expert Eye have not ruled out the possibility of stepping him back up to a mile and supplementing him for the Qatar Sussex Stakes at Goodwood.

Battaash could travel to Ireland later this summer for the Derrinstown Stud Flying Five Stakes at the Curragh.

The five-furlong contest will carry Group One status for the first time this year and has unsurprisingly attracted a strong entry of 31 sprinters.

Aidan O'Brien admitted he is "taking a bit of a chance" sending Saxon Warrior into battle once more in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown on Saturday. Speaking to the punter Aidan said, Obviously we're observing him very closely because he only ran last week. If there was anything negative we'd flag it up straight away.

"We're taking a bit of a chance running him back so close, but we're happy with him.

"We never thought that dropping back in trip would be a problem to him."

The John Gosden-trained Roaring Lion, who finished third in the premier Classic, is also in the final field.

Study Of Man is set to return to action at Deauville next month as a prep run for the Qipco Irish Champion Stakes in September. Alan Cooper , racing manager to the Niarchos Family told me earlier, He had a break after the Jockey Club. Pascal Bary is bringing him back with a view to running in the Guillaume D'Ornano as a prep for the Irish Champion Stakes," "The form of the race at Chantilly is working out very well, with Ascot winners and Rostropovich running so well in the Irish Derby. It could be a very good form line, which would be great."

He added: "We are staying to the mile and a quarter for the moment. If after the Irish Champion Stakes it is felt he can step up to a mile and a half, then the Arc would be very much under consideration."

 Alan also said Alpha Centauri will have a workout over the weekend before connections decide whether to run her in the Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket on Friday week.

Connections have to make up their mind whether to head to the July Course and take on older fillies and mares, or wait for the Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville on August 12, where she would clash with the colts.