SUPERMAN CAN SOAR
O’callaghan colt to go one better
I AM Superman must be strongly fancied to build on his promising debut run at the Curragh in today’s Irish Stallion farms EBF 2-Y-0 Maiden on an eight-race card in Gowran Park.
Trained by Michael O’callaghan, whose juveniles are progressing well from their initial runs this season, this Footstepsinthesand colt shaped like a certain future winner when finishing a good second to Sheila Lavery’s Breaking Story in a 23 runner maiden at the Curragh four weeks ago.
Beaten three-quarters of a length, O’callaghan’s colt had arguably his biggest rival today, the Aidan O’brien-trained Circus Maximum four lengths back in sixth spot in that seven-furlong event.
While the Ballydoyle colt is sure to improve significantly from that run, I Am Superman is also likely to take a step forward, with that run under his belt.
Today’s long trip, a mile, should suit Gary Halpin’s mount. And I Am Superman gets the vote to land the spoils.
The earlier fillies maiden affords Latrobe’s sister Pink Dogwood a good opportunity to open her account at the third attempt.
This Camelot filly was no match for Sunday’s Moyglare runner-up Lady Kaya on her Curragh debut and, back at headquarters, chased home the Jessica Harrington-trained Trethias, which went on to run a cracker from an impossible draw, behind stable-companion Sparkle’n’joy, at Leopardstown.
The Ballydoyle filly sets a decent standard. But I’ll oppose her with Harrington’s imposing Iffraaj filly For Your Eyes, which caught my eye at Commonstown back in the spring and made a very pleasing start to her career when third to Zagitova on her debut in Cork.
For Your Eyes will know a lot more about her job this time – she missed the kick, but stayed on nicely and wasn’t knocked about – and might have the edge.
Harrington (left) and Colm O’donoghue also have obvious prospects with Beautiful Morning, which might be capable of defying top-weight in the Denny Cordelllavarack Lanwades Stud Fillies Stakes, the Group 3 feature of this card.
Proven with an ease in the ground and successful in a listed event in Yarmouth a year ago, this five-year-old Galileo mare won the Royal Whip’(group 3) at the Curragh last month getting up late to pip Deauville.
Last time, she finished behind one of today’s rivals, Broadway, when sixth to Eziyra in the Group 2 Blandford at the Curragh, but was too keen and is undoubtedly better than that form.