John Ingles provides an overview of the key things to note on Sunday.
Memphis open to most improvement
The Group 3 ‘Mutamukina’ Stakes at Leopardstown (14:30) brings together ten fillies and mares, with Aidan O’Brien’s Signora, winner of a maiden at Limerick last time, the sole representative of the three-year-old generation. That form leaves her with something to find against her elders, and the one who appeals most is City of Memphis for ‘Hot Trainer’ Paddy Twomey whose older fillies and mares are always worth respecting.
City of Memphis ran just twice last year, landing the odds in a six-furlong maiden at Cork on her debut in May, but was then pitched into the Irish 1000 Guineas less than three weeks later where she did very well given her lack of experience to finish fifth behind Lake Victoria, showing useful form but giving the impression that a mile might have stretched her stamina a little.
She wasn’t seen out again until Gowran last month when she made a successful reappearance against male rivals in a minor event over seven furlongs. Having led on the bridle two furlongs out, she went on to win in good style by a length and three quarters from Cowardofthecounty who had been a Group 3 winner as a two-year-old. This looks her optimum trip, and with more improvement to come, she’s capable of following up going back up in grade.
Alcantor can make winning start for Joseph O’Brien
Smart ex-French horse Alcantor makes his first start for Joseph O’Brien in the Amethyst Stakes (15:05) and this listed contest will be a drop in class compared with the sort of company Alcantor regularly kept across the Channel when with Andre Fabre.
We didn’t see the best of Alcantor on his two visits to Britain so far for the Craven Stakes and the Mile at Sandown, but he has won three times in Group 3 company in France, including in the Prix Edmond Blanc at Saint-Cloud on his reappearance last spring. He has also been placed at a higher level, including when third in the Poule d’Essai des Poulains, and he was beaten less than a length on his last try at Group 1 level when fourth in the Prix du Moulin at Longchamp last September when close up behind the likes of Rosallion and The Lion In Winter, showing that he handles quicker conditions.
That sort of form makes Alcantor top rated on Timeform weight-adjusted ratings, and Group 1 entries suggest this will be a stepping-stone towards a return to better company.
Pierre Bonnard worth another chance to make Epsom claims
Having ended his two-year-old season with a hat-trick that included wins in the Zetland Stakes and the Criterium de Saint-Cloud, Pierre Bonnard spent the winter as the ante-post Derby favourite. He was therefore sent off even-money for the Ballysax Stakes at Leopardstown on his reappearance last month but fell well short of expectations, finishing only seventh of nine, six lengths or so behind stablemate Christmas Day.
As a result, Pierre Bonnard lost his place as Derby favourite, while several other Epsom candidates from Ballydoyle have come forward since, notably at Chester this week where the stable’s form gives Aidan O’Brien the ‘Hot Trainer’ flag. But Pierre Bonnard did have the excuse of racing on the worst of the ground in the Ballysax, and it’s too soon to be writing him off given the reappearance runs of some of his stable’s recent Derby winners. At any rate, he gets another chance to stake his claim for Epsom in the Derby Trial Stakes (15:40) back at Leopardstown which O’Brien has won 17 times.
Pierre Bonnard is up against stablemate Endorsement, who was runner-up in the Ballysax, and James J Braddock who was fifth that day, but with that under his belt and better off at the weights with the pair of them – he also beat Endorsement in the Zetland last year - Pierre Bonnard, who heads the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings, is likely to be a different proposition now and can put himself back in the Derby picture.
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