Aidan O’Brien’s star juvenile City Of Troy is firmly on course for next weekend’s Native Trail’s Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket.
The Justify colt shot to the head of ante-post lists for next year’s 2000 Guineas with a brilliant display in the Superlative Stakes in July and he has not been seen in competitive action since, having sidestepped a clash with stablemate Henry Longfellow in last month’s National Stakes at the Curragh.
City Of Troy will now bid to sign off an unbeaten two-year-old campaign by providing his trainer with an eighth Dewhurst success on Saturday.
“That’s the plan, absolutely – that’s always been his target. When he didn’t run in the National Stakes that is where we said he was going,” O’Brien said on Racing TV’s Luck On Sunday programme.
"He’s done well and he’s heavier and bigger now than he was (during the summer) – he’s maturing all the time. Everyone is very happy with him so far."
Henry Longfellow, second in the 2000 Guineas market behind City Of Troy, also holds a Dewhurst entry – but he looks set to be put away for the winter.
O’Brien added: “I wouldn’t imagine they’ll run together, definitely not this year – I couldn’t see it happening.
“Speaking to the lads the other day they were saying he (Henry Longfellow) has had his three runs and has won his maiden, his Group race and his Group One.
“He’s still in full work and they can decide to do whatever they want to do, but listening to them he might not run any more this year.”
Paddington in line for QEII
The master of Ballydoyle is also beginning to finalise plans for Qipco Champions Day at Ascot on October 21, with Queen Elizabeth II Stakes favourite Paddington poised to lead the team.
“Paddington looks like he’s going to go to the mile (QEII), Luxembourg could go to the Champion Stakes, the filly that got beat in France (Jackie Oh) could go to the fillies’ race (Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes) and Kyprios could go to the two-mile (Long Distance Cup). That would be the guts of it at the moment,” said O’Brien.
The trainer also confirmed the newly-named Kameko Futurity Trophy at Doncaster on October 28 as an intended target for Diego Velazquez, while Opera Singer – ante-post favourite for the 1000 Guineas off the back of her dominant success in last weekend’s Prix Marcel Boussac – could be bound for the Breeders’ Cup.
He added: “The lads (owners) are thinking about America. She (Opera Singer) did one piece of work at the weekend and we were very happy with her."
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