Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
DYCK IN FRAME
O’brien’s classy colt sets the scene for Futurity victory
ANTHONY VAN DYCK will be expected to give Aidan O’brien a 12fth success in the Group 2 Galileo Futurity Stakes at the Curragh tomorrow.
The Galileo colt, one of three Ballydoyle contenders in a field of six, has looked exciting in victories at Killarney and Leopardstown and looks ready to take the next step up.
An eye-catching seventh in the hot Curragh maiden won by one of tomorrow’s rivals KLUTE, a race from which four subsequent winners have emerged, Anthony Van Dyck went on to win his maiden in Killarney impressively last month, when making all under Donnacha to slam Yonkers by eight lengths.
And, last time, he stepped into stakes company with aplomb in the JRA Tyros Stakes (Group 3) at Leopardstown, sweeping past the front-runner on the home turn before running on strongly to beat the well-regarded Bolger colt Bold Approach by four and three-quarter lengths.
That victory was achieved over an extended seven furlongs. And the performance suggested Anthony would have no problem going a mile.
Over seven tomorrow, with pace guaranteed, we should see the best of Anthony
Van Dyck. And he’s expected to complete his hat-trick and prove himself on course for a crack at the Group 1 National
Stakes next month.
Strictly on debut form, Jessica Harrington’s Klute holds the selection. But Anthony has
evidently improved dramatically since that first run and gets the vote to beat Klute, progressive Ballydoyle stable companion CHRISTMAS and Jim Bolger’s GUARANTEED.
The other Group 2 juvenile event, the Debutante Stakes for fillies, is equally fascinating and features the return to action of Sheila Lavery’s, left, LADY KAYA , a spectacular, 10 lengths winner of the Loder Race over this course and distance last month.
That performance looked effortless and suggested the daughter of Dandy
Man could be exceptional.
And we’ll find out tomorrow, when Robbie Colgan’s mount will face a very strong field, spear-headed by Aidan O’brien’s ZAGITOVA, a smooth winner of her maiden in Cork, although reportedly lame afterwards.
And don’t under-estimate Joseph O’brien’s once-raced filly
IRIDESSA, which swept past Cardin and subsequent winner Kestrel Prince in great style at Killarney last month.