Nic Doggett provides an overview of the key things to note on Sunday.
Alpha to follow in footsteps of Precise and Lake Victoria?
Sundays are often a bit deflating, but this week is different. Whilst Doncaster's card – a day after the St Leger – might not spark Frankenstein's monster to life, the second day of the Irish Champions Festival certainly would.
Switching from Leopardstown to the Curragh, the card goes one better than Saturday with four Group 1s, beginning with the Moyglare Stud Stakes (14:50).
It's no surprise to see the 'sectional' flag for Sun Goddess following her astounding finish to the Harry's Half Million By Goffs sales race at York where she overcame trouble in running before motoring home down the middle of the track against inferior rivals.
Unbeaten at the track and well clear on Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings, she shapes as if this longer trip will suit, but faces her biggest test yet against the first three home in last month's Debutante Stakes over C&D.
On that occasion, Green Empress made her challenge last and was able to overcome Dancing Destinay and Alpha – in that order – who had locked horns much earlier in the race.
All three command plenty of respect, especially Alpha; O'Brien's last five winners of this race were sent off at 11/2 or bigger, and four of those beat much more fancied stablemates who went off favourite. She did a bit too much last time and could reverse the form - plus a bit more - if conserving her energy better.
Weight-adjusted ratings favour Comanche Brave
In general, the British and Irish sprinting division is rather hard to work out from one week to the next. In hindsight, it's no surprise that American speedball Bacio was able to dominate the Nunthorpe given the lack of consistency amongst those who more regularly lock horns in these races. This week it's the turn of the BAR 1 Betting Flying Five Stakes (15:25).
Mission Central looked to have found the secret when completing a hat-trick in the King Charles III, but has gone off the boil since, while American Affair was emphatic in the King George Qatar Stakes at Goodwood but woeful at York. Night Raider looked the great white hope in May but has not justified relatively short prices since (for all he ran better in the Nunthorpe last time), while 'Horse In Focus' Time For Sandals has taken a long time to hit form this term but has caught the eye in defeat the last twice.
But mirror, mirror, on the wall, who's now the most consistent of them all?
That mantle appears to belong to favourite Comanche Brave whose wins since returning from Hong Kong include the Greelands Stakes here and the July Cup at Newmarket, with a solid run (didn't get the clearest run through) in the Jubilee Stakes in-between.
Clearly, he has something to prove now dropped to five furlongs for the first time on the back of two months off, but a win here would cement his place at the top of the sprinting tree heading into a possible British Champions Sprint Stakes clash with Almeraq at Ascot next month.
National Stakes looks a belter
I quite fancy an upset in the Comer Group International Irish St. Leger (16:35), with Jan Brueghel, Queenstown and – in particular – Trustyourinstinct not to be underestimated taking on Scandinavia for the first time, but the more interesting Group 1 is the preceding Goffs Vincent O'Brien National Stakes (16:00).
Named after the man who won it a whopping 15 times, this year's renewal sees namesake Aidan bidding for his 13th in the race, though at the time of writing his Futurity winner Giant Sequoia (who beat Florida Bay by half a length) is second-best in the market behind Monogram who made a startling impression on debut here for Joseph O'Brien, his short-head winning margin no indication of the ground he made up from off the pace after a clumsy beginning.
Haffner was half a length behind Dr Rascal in the Vintage Stakes at Goodwood but has since won the Acomb Stakes at York (with Trean in third), while Folsom Blues was second to Sun Goddess in the Phoenix Stakes (and Florida Bay in the Tyros) and might find that form franked earlier in the day.
Porto Vecchio completes the field. Not as eye-catching as Monogram during his debut win over C&D, the Dermot Weld-trained colt has had that form franked by the second and sixth and he's a full brother to the yard's 1000 Guineas winner Homeless Songs (who was well beaten in the Moyglare on this card on her second start).
There's not much on ratings between Dr Rascal, Giant Sequioa, Haffner and Folsom Blues, but that doesn't tell the full story; Monogram has the 'horse in focus' and 'sectional' flags, as well as a 'large P' attached to his rating.
It's the two-year-old race of the season so far.
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