Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Godolphin on Trail of a hat-trick
OUTPOINTED by stablecompanion Coroebus, when favourite for the Qipco 2,000 Guineas, Native Trail should give Godolphin a third Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh.
The powerfully-built Oasis Dream colt, went through his two-year-old campaign unbeaten, proving his class with a Group 1 double in the National Stakes at the Curragh (slammed Point Lonsdale) and the
Dewhurst in Newmarket.
He returned to action in the Craven at Newmarket last month before being sent off 5/4 for the English Guineas. Although finishing with a flourish, he failed by three-quarters of a length to peg back stablemate Coroebus, with
Luxembourg in third.
Better suited by the Curragh than Newmarket, a reproduction of his best form, notably his Guineas effort, should suffice today.
Leading the opposition is the Joseph O’brien-trained Buckaroo, impressive winner of the recent Tetrarch (Group 3) over seven furlongs at the Curragh recently.
Winner of his maiden in Galway last summer, beating current Cazoo Derby second favourite Stone Age, Buckaroo looked a Derby candidate when pipped by Piz Badile in the Ballysax at Leopardstown last month.
But the decision to drop him in trip paid off handsomely in the Tetrarch as the Fastnet Rock colt powered clear to slam Wexford Native by four lengths, with another of today’s rivals Malex fourth (wears blinkers today).
And I expect improvement from unexposed Wexford Native, while Aidan O’brien’s only runner is talented but apparently quirky Ivy League – but the colt needs to step forward significantly to trouble Native Trail.
Another frame candidate is Imperial Fighter, a good spare ride for Ben Coen, whose two-year-old form included a solid second to Coroebus in Newmarket.