Aidan O’Brien rules Ten Sovereigns out of Newmarket
SOME of the gloss has been taken off Saturday’s Group One Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket with Aidan O’Brien ruling Ten Sovereigns out of a mouthwatering duel with John Gosden’s Too Darn Hot.
Already as low as 6/1 for next year’s English 2,000 Guineas, the decision was made to put away Middle Park winner Ten Sovereigns until next season with O’Brien conscious of over-racing the unbeaten son of No Nay Never.
Having scored on debut at the Curragh on August 25, he has been a revelation, taking the rapid step up in grade in his stride to quickly score in a Curragh Group Three before his Newmarket success two weeks ago but O’Brien didn’t want to risk a fourth start in quick succession.
“We thought about running him but he had three runs in a relatively short space of time (five weeks) and, in fairness to the horse, we’ve decided to leave him alone until next season,” O’Brien told the ‘Racing Post’.
The Ballydoyle maestro still has plenty to look forward to with National Stakes runner-up Anthony Van Dyck (4/1) leading a strong team as they look to take down Too Darn Hot (10/11 favourite) and Michael Stoute’s Sangarius (3/1) in a race which O’Brien has won for the past three seasons with U S Navy Flag (2017), Churchill (2016) and Air Force Blue (2015) successful.
It will be another globe-trotting weekend for O’Brien, who saddles U S Navy Flag as he bids to scale ‘Everest’ and take home the world’s most valuable turf race – prize money is €8,000,000 – at Sydney track Randwick on Saturday.
Ryan Moore will team up with the July Cup winner in the second running of the sprint contest while O’Brien also saddles five runners at Caulfield the same day with last year’s Derby runner-up Cliffs Of Moher leading the charge in the Group One Caulfield Stakes.
Yucatan will tackle the Group Two Herbert Power Stakes while a trio of sprinters – Fleet Review, Intelligence Cross and Spirit Of Valor – take their chance in the Group Two Schillaci Stakes over five-and-a-half furlongs.
The 48-year-old landed a 15/1 double at Cork yesterday as Coral Beach (5/2 favourite) made it tenth time lucky in the opening maiden and Credenza (7/2) held on in the preceding nursery on another great family day.
His son Joseph took the feature contest – the Listed Navigation Stakes – as Ship Of Dreams (15/8 favourite) deservedly got her head in front to notch some valuable black type, while King’s Field (11/8 favourite) got off the mark at the third time of asking.
It was also a good day for Meath trainer Gavin Cromwell who notched a 39/1 double to continue his fine form of late with Innamorare (7/1) taking the fillies handicap by a neck, while Fuwairt (4/1) ended a two-year wait for victory in the last.