Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Laganore can blow rivals away in Blue Wind Stakes
MARTIN’S BAY MARE TO BREEZE TO VICTORY
THE Tony Martin-trained Laganore looks the one to beat in today’s Group 3 Blue Wind Stakes at the Curragh. The home of the Irish classics opens its gates to the public for the first time in 2017, in the middle of its redevelopment programme, with temporary facilities set to cater for racegoers’ needs as the demolition of the old stands continues before the building phase of the development kicks in. But, while the site has a very different look, the unique track remains untouched and, not used since October, looks in great nick ahead of the weekend action, with the Guineas Festival just two weeks away. The Blue Wind, traditionally at Naas, is today’s feature. And Laganore, the highest-rated in the field, sets the standard following an encouraging seasonal debut run at Gowran Park recently. Progressive last season, Tony Martin’s charge ended 2016 with a convincing, four-length win in the listed Pride Stakes at Newmarket in October. And, now a five-year-old, she gave every indication at Gowran two weeks ago, in the listed Victor Mccalmont Memorial Stakes, that she’ll be better than ever this season. She held every chance at the furlong-pole before apparently tiring and finishing third, beaten a length and a half, behind Somehow, which franked the form by winning the Group 3 Dahlia Stakes in Newmarket last week and is being mentioned as a possible Lockinge contender. Pat Smullen is a significant booking for Laganore, which is expected to confirm Gowran form with BEAUTIFUL MORNING ( fourth), representing in-form Jessica Harrington, CREGGS PIPES (fifth) and TURRET ROCKS (sixth). NIGHT OF GLORY, beaten a neck by Chronicles on his recent debut in Navan, makes plenty of appeal in the Where Champions Are Made Maiden over a mile and a quarter. A son of Sea The Stars, trained by Michael O’callaghan, this fellow was sent off at 33/1 in Navan, but ran a race full of promise, staying on late to be beaten narrowly, with subsequent winners Act Of Valour and Homesman filling third and fourth spots respectively. Entitled to improve from that run, Night Of Glory should be tough to beat and gets the nod over THUNDER CRASH and Ballydoyle newcomer WISCONSIN.