Views from connections and tips ahead of the Curragh on Sunday
We round up the views from connections and Man On The Spot verdicts ahead of Sunday's top-class racing from the Curragh.
1505 Derrinstown Stud Flying Five Stakes
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Views from connections
Darren Bunyan - Hit The Bid: "Everything went well on his comeback apart from him just not quite winning. He had a huge blow after it, which we thought he would, but it has put him spot on. I couldn't be happier with him. He's got eight rivals on Sunday but my biggest worry is the weather. The forecast is changing all the time, yet there is a chance we could get plenty. I've just got my fingers crossed.
"If it does go soft, he won't run. I'll put him in the Group Three at Newbury next week as back up and hope that it is good ground for the Abbaye. It will be a huge shame if he can't run, though, as we picked this race out months ago as our best chance of winning a Group One and it looks it. Leigh Roche knows him very well, he had a sit on him Friday morning and said he felt better than ever. He's close to the finished article now."
Karl Burke - Havana Grey: "We're very happy with him and we're looking forward to Sunday. Obviously he ran well at York on the far side of the track. I'm not saying he'd have beaten the first two, but he is a game horse and if he had something chasing him down, I think he might have finished third."
Man On The Spot verdict
This looks a 'soft' Group 1 but HAVANA GREY has form at this level having finished a decent fifth in the Nunthorpe where he only faded close home. A Group 2 winner here in July, when he had Gorane and Battle Of Jericho behind, he probably only has Sioux Nation to worry about though the Ballydoyle colt never got into contention in the York event and is better over another furlong. Hit The Bid is a smart handicapper and Listed-class performer who was twice behind the veteran Take Cover around this time a year ago though the latter was behind the selection at York and didn't have much to beat in a Listed contest at Beverley last time.
1540 Moyglare Stud Stakes
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View from connections
Patrick Prendergast - Skitter Scatter: "She's in good health and we're looking forward to it. She couldn't have done any more the last day. I thought she won quite well and she won with a little bit in hand. What makes her a little bit exceptional is that she's a small filly in stature, but she has an incredible attitude. She's an aggressive little filly and she's very competitive at home on the gallops and I believe that she wants to win.
"Going to the Moyglare, we would be conscious - and it's my job to worry - are we going to the well once too often? But she has very sporting owners and they know all about that. If it doesn't work we've lost nothing, it's been a great year, and she'll go back to the stud on her holidays."
Aidan O'Brien - Hermosa, Just Wonderful and Zagitova: "Just Wonderful won over a mile the last day and we don't think she'll have any problem coming back to seven furlongs. She's in good form. Zagitova is in good form, too. We thought that she would come forward from the run the last day. The experience would have done her good and we've been happy with her since."
Charlie Appleby - Beyond Reason: "She's done nothing but progress during the course of the season and her last performance in France was quite impressive. I think her main attributes are that she's a very genuine filly and she brings a nice bit of experience into the race. She's shown at Deauville she appreciates a bit of give in the ground, so conditions shouldn't be a problem."
Charlie Johnston - Main Edition: "We are really happy with her and we are looking forward to Sunday. She seems to be in good order at home. The seven-furlong trip is not a worry and she has won on fast ground and on softer ground, so she is pretty versatile. She has got to a live chance."
Man On The Spot verdict
Aidan O'Brien has three entries. Ryan Moore is on Zagitova, who appeared to find this trip on the short side when only third behind Skitter Scatter in the Group 2 Debutante here last month when Lady Kaya pulled too hard and had nothing left in the closing stages. Beyond Reason has won at Group 3 and 2 level on ground with some give at Deauville so conditions are in her favour as they will be for Just Wonderful, who won a Group 3 over a mile here a couple of weeks ago. The latter was a long way behind MAIN EDITION in the Albany at Ascot when starting favourite and though that wasn't her form the winner has since stayed on strongly to land the Sweet Solera over this trip at Newmarket.
1615 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National Stakes
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View from connections
Charlie Appleby - Quorto: "He's had a nice break since the Superlative and his preparation has gone very well. It's time for us to step him up now and I think the Guineas picture will be a lot clearer after this weekend. We said after Newmarket we'd aim for the Curragh. We also had the option of the Champagne Stakes if it looked like coming up very soft in Ireland, but it looks like it will be no worse than good to soft and that should be fine.
"He has an action that suggests he'll actually appreciate ground on the easy side of good, although obviously you couldn't fault what he's done on fast ground so far. Until we put the gun to his head, so to speak, we won't know for sure, but as long as it doesn't go very soft, I think he'll handle it."
Aidan O'Brien - Anthony Van Dyck: "He is in good form. We were delighted with him the last day and he seems to have come out of the race well. He's a lazy type of horse. He has the experience now with four runs under his belt and we can finish up after this or he can step up."
Man On The Spot verdict
Coolmore have won this with some outstanding performers in recent years and will be hoping Anthony Van Dyck can follow suit. After an easy Group 3 victory at Leopardstown, he only had half-a-length to spare over stable companion Christmas in the Group 2 Futurity here last month but was always holding the runner-up and will be difficult to beat. Land Force and Mohawk also represent Aidan O'Brien and the former looked a smart prospect when landing the Richmond Stakes at Goodwood before a moderate effort when stepped up Group 1 level in the Prix Morny at Deauville. Godolphin won this with the high-class Dubawi back in 2004 and will be hoping his son QUORTO can follow suit. He had the Ballydoyle colt Cape Of Good Hope in second when landing the Superlative Stakes so the latter's yard should have a good idea of where they stand but Charlie Appleby's colt still looked in need of experience despite winning easily and should have made enough progress to repel the home contingent.
1650 Comer Group International Irish St. Leger
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Views from connections
Joseph O'Brien - Latrobe: "He's a grand big horse, uncomplicated and he should be better next year. He only had one start at two and he progressed a lot over the winter. Because he's a big horse he's still relatively lightly raced. He should get the trip and we'll see what happens. It wouldn't be guaranteed he will stay, but you'd have to be quite hopeful. I always thought he was relatively versatile with conditions, but his best form has been on quick ground. But then he was only beaten a short-head on soft ground, so I would say he is versatile."
Aidan O'Brien - Flag Of Honour, Idaho & Cyprus Creek: "Flag Of Honour is in good form. We were delighted with him the last day. He won't have a problem with any ease in the ground and he stays well. He was very comfortable when he went up to a mile and a half. He's a very honest and straightforward horse. He seems to get the mile and six (furlongs) well now and you can never be sure that they will until they do it.
"Idaho is a solid horse. Obviously we know that he stays well as he's been running over two miles. He's in good form as well."
Man On The Spot verdict
Irish Derby winner Latrobe is a surprise entry and the ability to stay the trip has to be taken on trust as though he's by Camelot his dam won over 6f. He found the extended 1m2f of the Juddmonte too short at York so connections must be confident he'll stay. There's no such stamina issues with FLAG OF HONOUR, who just outstayed Twilight Payment in the trial for this here last month. The winner should have no problems confirming the form as he's better off at the weights and is taken to see off the challenge of Weekender. John Gosden's charge ran a superb race when runner-up in the Ebor and this is by no means a genuine Group 1 though it's still a big step-up. Idaho is a genuine staying type and Seamie Heffernan is certain to ensure a strong gallop so it wouldn't be a shock to see him beat better fancied rivals.
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