Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Aid to have his Day
TUESDAY looks set to give Aidan O’brien an 11th win in the Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas at the Curragh tomorrow.
It’s 25 years since Classic Park (Stephen Craine) gave O’brien his first classic success in this very race. The Master of Ballydoyle has won it with plenty of high-class fillies in the intervening years and, tomorrow, bidding for four-in-arow in the race, he’ll hold a strong hand with Tuesday, History and Concert Hall.
And Tuesday, the least exposed of the trio, having raced only three times, appeals most coming into the race on the back of a solid third behind Cachet (has since finished runner-up in the French equivalent) in the Qipco 1,000 Guineas in Newmarket, where she raced close to the pace, was outpaced at a crucial stage but stayed on to be beaten two lengths.
Hugely promising on her juvenile start, Tuesday won a Naas maiden in workmanlike style on her seasonal debut early last month, a race from which three winners have emerged and a contest won last year by stable-companion Empress Josephine before she landed this classic.
Tuesday, of course, has been to Newmarket since, but should be significantly on the upgrade. Likely to head next for the Cazoo Oaks at Epsom, her stamina will prove crucial on tomorrow’s easy ground.
And she’s expected to make it number 11 for O’brien and a fourth Irish 1,000 Guineas for Ryan Moore, already successful on Marvellous (2014), Winter (2017) and Hermosa (2019).
Recent trials in Leopardstown are key when weighing-up the most likely threats to Tuesday.
Trial winners Homeless Songs and History, and Joseph O’brien’s Agartha, who filled the runner-up berth in both, must all be respected.
Homeless Songs showed an impressive burst of speed to foil Agartha at Leopardstown, bypassed the French Guineas and merits serious consideration.
O’brien’s second string History produced a more workmanlike display to see off Agartha in her trial, should improve from that run and will be ridden by Seamus Heffernan who boasts five Irish 1,000 successes, including the last two renewals on Peaceful and Empress Josephine respectively.
And if you fancy either Homeless Songs or History, Agartha must have rock-solid claims as the winner of last year’s Debutante, during a busy juvenile campaign conceding 3lb to both of her trial conquerors.
Others worthy of mention include British raiders Mise En Scene and onceraced Purplepay, representing William Haggas, plus Jessica Harrington’s Villanova Queen and the Henry de Bromhead-trained Star Girls Aalmal.