Ger treble isn’t out of the Blue

THE Ger Lyons-trained three-year-old Blue Uluru may be capable of completing a sprinting hat-trick in the Tote Rockingham Handicap on today’s supporting card at the Curragh.

This Choisir filly, successful at Fairyhouse and Navan as a juvenile, has blossomed this season scoring at Navan and over today’s course and distance, for which she has gone up a total of 10lb.

She scored comfortably in Navan before defying a 7lb hike here, when beating one of today’s rivals Dali, which went on to frank the form by landing a listed event at Naas.

Today, Blue Uluru meets the Ballydoyle colt on 5lb better terms and is expected to confirm the form in a race which should set-up perfectly for her, with the presence of 10 British raiders sure to guarantee a blistering pace.

Significantly, Ryan Moore deserted Dali in favour of Battle Of Jericho, dropping in class following a tilt at the Group 1 King’s Stand at Royal Ascot.

Another Ballydoyle classdropper Fleet Review, 15th behind Eqtidaar in the Diamond Jubilee in Royal Ascot, is probably the one to beat in the listed Dubai Duty Free Creekside Dash.

Aidan O’brien runs both Van Beethoven and Land Force, after solid Royal Ascot efforts, in the Group 2 GAIN Railway 2-Y-0 Stakes.

And, with Ryan Moore, above, on Van Beethoven, which finished fourth to Soldier’s Call in the Windsor Castle, he gets only a hesitant vote as he strikes me as a colt crying out for a step-up to seven furlongs, particularly on the evidence of his second to stable-companion Fairyland here in the Marble Hill before heading to Ascot.