Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
GUINEAS FOR QAM
Johnston’s colt the one to beat
ELARQAM looks the horse to beat in today’s Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh.
Mark Johnston’s colt is certainly bred for the job, by the mighty Frankel out of Attraction, which completed the English-irish 1,000 Guineas double for the same trainer back in 2004.
Unbeaten in two juvenile starts, a maiden at York on his debut and the Group 3 Tattersalls Stakes at Newmarket, Elarqam was thrown in at the deep end in the English Guineas and ran creditably to be beaten little more than two lengths behind Saxon Warrior, with one of today’s rivals Gustav Klimt sixth.
The selection held every chance at Newmarket and, chopped for speed at a crucial time, stayed on up the hill.
Elarqam is entitled to improve on that effort, in terms of both experience and fitness and, if he does, he should be bang there.
Of course, Elarqam, bidding to give Jim Crowley a first Guineas success, will have the might of Ballydoyle to overcome as Aidan O’brien bids for a 12th win in the race.
Sixth in Newmarket, when he failed to spark or build on his trial win at Leopardstown, Gustav Klimt will be ridden by Donnacha O’brien, with stable-jockey Ryan Moore (inset) set to ride US Navy Flag, whose credentials, on last year’s form, are rock-solid.
US Navy Flag raced no less than ten times at two, culminating in his abortive bid for the Breeders Cup Juvenile, on the dirt.
Prior to that trip to Del Mar, US Navy Flag registered a hugely impressive Group 1 double, in the Middle Park’and Dewhurst at Newmarket, beating Mendelssohn on the latter occasion.
He was unlucky when fifth in the French Guineas last time, when he stumbled with three furlongs to race and was squeezed for room when weakening close home.
On his two-year-old form, US Navy Flag would be the horse to beat today. But I feel that he still has something to prove as a three-year-old.
The unbeaten Zihba has been purchased by Al Shaqab since winning the recent Group 3 Amethyst Stakes, when he beat older, battle-hardened campaigners.
Previously successful twice on Dundalk’s polytrack, Zihba deserves plenty of respect on his Leopardstown form and might be capable of finishing in the frame for Chris Hayes, successful on Awtaad two years ago.
Symbolization needs to step-up on his last outing, a comment which also applies to the consistent, Ger Lyonstrained maiden Would Be King, collared late by Imaging in the Tetrarch at Naas last time. He’ll improve and can run a big race.