CAPRI’S READY FOR TAKE-OFF
Irish Derby hero to start with win
IRISH RACING
The Aidan O’brien-trained five-year-old is set to go down the staying route this season and he should be able to make up into a leading Ascot Gold Cup contender.
Capri was restricted to just four runs last season and probably never got to reach his full potential.
However, he still posted a cracking effort in Paris last October when he was a close fifth to Enable in the Arc de Triomphe.
None of these opponents could come close to matching that form which makes Capri the clear choice even though he lacks the benefit of a recent run.
O’brien will also be fancied to strike with Pink Dogwood in the Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Salsabil Stakes.
This filly was fifth in the Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac when she was last seen in action
Furthermore Pink Dogwood is a sister to the Irish Derby winner Latrobe so she is bred to make a better three-year-old.
However, she may have to give best to Dermot Weld’s Tarnawa who was placed in a Listed race at this track last year.
Tarnawa returned to action at Leopardstown earlier this month when she posted a pleasing effort to land a ten furlong maiden in good style.
The other stakes race on offer is the Listed Committed Stakes where Cava can defy a 301 day absence from the track.
This filly shaped up well in just two starts last season, the second of which saw her finish third in a Curragh Group 3 where So Perfect defeated Skitter Scatter.
That form looks the strongest in the line up and this filly can account for The Irish Rover who ran respectably in a 2000 Guineas Trial on his return earlier this month.
In the sprint handicap Joseph O’brien could also be the man to follow with Little Clarinet.