O’Brien’s day of Thunder
BOOKMAKERS believe Joseph O’Brien can put one over on his dad Aidan by capturing Saturday’s QIPCO 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket with market leader Thunder Moon.
His father has been successful a record 10 times in the one-mile Classic, while O’Brien won it as a jockey on Camelot in 2012.
Thunder Moon, the 9-2 favourite with most bookmakers, was among yesterday’s 18 confirmations for the season’s first Classic.
O’Brien senior is expected to run St Mark’s Basilica, Wembley, Battleground, Van Gogh and Military Style. Charlie Appleby, bidding for a first Guineas success, runs 5-1 second favourite One Ruler, the mount of James Doyle, and 8-1 chance Master Of The Seas, to be ridden by William Buick.
Appleby, delighted with One Ruler’s recent racecourse gallop at Newmarket, said: “On the back of winning last season, people start talking about the Derby but the first thing we are looking at is the Guineas and that’s the target.
“I don’t think he is a stayer as he has got stronger over the winter. I’m very pleased with the way he has done physically.” If veteran Irish trainer Jim Bolger gives Mac Swiney the green light, he is value at 25-1.The colt flagged up his claims when chinning One Ruler at Doncaster last season.
The betting market for Sunday’s QIPCO 1,000 Guineas suggests Aidan O’Brien’s filly Santa Barbara has the prize in the bag, having been backed down from 10-1 last month to 6-4 with Coral.
■ CHELTENHAM Gold Cup hero Minella Indo will miss tomorrow’s Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup after suffering a bruised foot.