Ballet can perform for O’brien’s Ballysax dozen
THE dominance of Aidan O’brien knows no bounds and the Ballydoyle maestro should complete the perfect dozen of successes in tomorrow’s PW Mcgrath Memorial Ballysax Stakes at Leopardstown (3.45) with Bolshoi Ballet.
O’brien has taken the last three runnings of the Group Three contest with the likes of Galileo, High Chaparral and Yeats taking pride of place on the illustrious roll of honour, and Bolshoi Ballet can follow in their hoof-prints at Leopardstown.
The Galileo colt only commenced his racing career last October but he progressed from a debut third at Newmarket to land a Leopardstown maiden in great style from the front before completing his juvenile season later that month when a creditable fifth in the Grade One Criterium de Saint-cloud in France.
Bolshoi Ballet, which has English and Irish Derby entries, is the choice of Ryan Moore and stands 5lbs clear of his nearest rival on official ratings with further improvement sure to come as O’brien declared that the “beautiful mover” will be seen at his best on the good ground he will encounter at the Foxrock track.
Jim Bolger’s Flying Visit is easily the most experienced runner in the €50,000 contest, with the Group Three winner having 11 runs as a juvenile, but he may lack the class to prevail with Dermot Weld’s Group Three runner-up Wuqood also highly respected under reigning champion jockey Colin Keane.
The O’brien pair of Joan Of Arc and Empress Josephine – both winners already this season – are notable dangers in the Group Three Ballylinch Stud 1,000 Guineas Trial Stakes (2.40), but it would be a major surprise should this prize evade his son Donnacha with Group One winner Shale.
Already rated 113 after her Moyglare Stud Stakes win last year, Moore’s mount will also appreciate a better surface on her seasonal return having badly misfired in the Fillies’ Mile on soft ground at Newmarket last October and the Galileo filly sets a high bar.
The Listed Ballylinch Stud 2,000 Guineas Trial Stakes (2.10) is the race of the day as Ken Condon’s Railway Stakes winner Laws Of Indices is forced to carry a 3lb penalty against his 11 rivals.
Billy Lee’s mount can still go close in a cracking contest – where half of the field is rated 104 or higher – but preference is for Bolger’s Poetic Flare after a scintillating display to take a Group Three over course and distance last October.