Cassie Tully with horse-by-horse guide to Sunday's Keeneland Phoenix Stakes

The first European Group One for juveniles is upon us and a diverse field of ten runners have been declared for the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes.

This is the largest field for 19 years, since Johannesburg defeated ten other runners by five lengths. That horse of course who went on to sire the late, great. Scat Daddy, the father of two recent winners of this race.

Not only are there ten runners, but eight different owners, seven different trainers and nine different sires represented. As well as public purchase prices ranging from €5,000 to 1,300,000gns.

The Phoenix has been a race that Aidan O’Brien has utterly dominated in the past. He has won it 16 times in total, although not the two most recent renewals, nor does he saddle the first, second or third favourites in the market this year.

Quite a number of top stallions have emerged from the Phoenix - Danehill Dancer, Johannesburg, Holy Roman Emperor, Mastercraftsman and Zoffany to mention just a few, all of who have gone on to Group One glory as sires.

So, who will be adding their name to that illustrious roll of honour this year? Or will it be a filly?

Steel Bull

Danehill has had a huge influence on the Phoenix Stakes. He sired four past winners and his sons have produced three so far. Steel Bull could be taking that second tally to four as he is by the now 20-year-old Rathasker Stud stallion, Clodovil (Danehill).

Steel Bull, a €5,000 foal purchase, was profitable to each of his purchasers when subsequently selling for £15,000 as a yearling and then £28,000 just over a month ago at the Breeze Up Sales. A figure which was then no doubt significantly multiplied when privately purchased by Mrs CC Regalado-Gonzalez after his impressive display in the Group Three Molecomb Stakes at Goodwood last week.

That win made Steel Bull unbeaten on his two starts to date and the favourite to add a Group One to his record since supplemented into this field.

Steel Bull is the second foal out of his placed mare, and just the third Black Type winner within four generations of his family. His dam is a half-sister to the Stakes winning Three Sea Captains and is from the family of Group One Haydock Sprint Cup winner Lavinia Fontana.

The Lir Jet

The Lir Jet is the Group Two Norfolk Stakes winner who was beaten by a short head by Ventura Tormenta on his third start three weeks ago in the Prix Robert Papin in France.

He is the first Group winner for his first-season sire Prince of Lir (a son of Kodiac), who has had 23 starters to date.

Recently acquired by Qatar Racing, The Lir Jet stems from the family of Italian Group Two winner and Yorkshire Oaks placed Papering, who produced Italian St Leger winner Donn Halling and Cork Platinum Stakes winner Dossier.

Ventura Tormenta

Ventura Tormenta has a Group Two over this distance under his belt after taking the Prix Robert Papin three weeks ago in Chantilly.

And that is not all he has going for him. Ventura Tormenta is a son of Acclamation, the sire of sprinting stars Dark Angel, Marsha and Equiano, but his dam is by Oasis Dream, the broodmare sire of two of the past three winners of this race, Siskin and Sioux Nation.

Ventura Tormenta’s dam was unplaced, but she is out of a half-sister to Group One July Cup winner Owington, which is the immediate family of Dick Whittington, the winner of this race in 2014, as well as triple Group One placed and Group Three winner Nathra.

St Mark’s Basilica

Naturally, most horses competing at the highest level would have some form of Black-Type performance under their belt already. The last four winners of the Phoenix for example all had won a Group Two before their success here.

But there was just one horse, 20 years ago exactly, called Minardi who hadn’t yet even won a race before running in the Phoenix. He had just finished second on his sole start in a maiden before turning up to take the Group One prize on his second racecourse appearance.

Minardi was of course trained by Aidan O’Brien who appears to be the king of preparing horses to break their maidens in Group One races.

And St Mark’s Basilica, like Minardi, has only raced once, placing second at the Curragh last week.

Costing 1.3million guineas as a yearling, St Mark’s Basilica not only has Aidan O’Brien behind him, but he is a son of French sire sensation Siyouni and a half-brother to last year’s 2000 Guineas winner, Magna Grecia.

Lucky Vega

Winner of his maiden on debut and a half-length second to Laws of Indices on his second and most recent start in the Group Two Railway Stakes at the Curragh, Lucky Vega is the Jessica Harrington-trained son of Lope De Vega and a grandson of Group One Prix de l’Opera winner Satwa Queen.

Laws of Indices

Winner of two of his three career starts, including the Group Two Railway Stakes two weeks ago for Ken Condon, Laws of Indices is bidding to be the first Group One winner for his emigrated sire Power.

Laws of Indices’ great grandam Privity is his closest related stakes winner. She won a Group Two in Longchamp and is a full sister to Group One placed Zindari and a half-sister to the dam of Grade One winner in the States Price Tag.

Admiral Nelson

Admiral Nelson is a son of Kingman, purchased by MV Magnier for £440,000 as a yearling.

Although impressive on his winning debut, Admiral Nelson disappointed in the Coventry and finished fourth in the Group Two Richmond Stakes on his latest start.

His dam is a six furlong Listed winner at Salisbury, stemming from a family of top-level American dirt performers including this year’s Haskell Stakes winner Authentic, dual Grade One winners Seventh Street and American Gal, Meydan Group One winner Reynaldothewizard as well as Royal Ascot Diamond Jubilee winner Undrafted.

Giorgio Vasari

Winner of a maiden on his third start and following up in a minor race at Naas on Monday this week, Giorgio Vasari was supplemented by Aidan O’Brien straight into Group One level.

One would have to take note of this colt and his huge market price, not only for the late entry reasons, but for his strong pedigree connections to this race.

Giorgio Vasari is from the first crop of European Champion two-year-old Air Force Blue. The winner of three Group One races as a juvenile including this race in 2015.

Not only that, but he is a half-brother to the 2017 winner, Sioux Nation. Both of whom were also trained by O’Brien.

His damsire is then also the aforementioned Oasis Dream, damsire of Sioux Nation of course, this colt’s half-brother, as well as last year’s winner Siskin.

There is a lot to like here.

Aloha Star & Bubbles On Ice

It is two fillies who complete the Group One field on Sunday. Both by Starspangledbanner and both trained by Fozzy Stack.

Starspangledbanner is the dual Group One scorer in Australia who then migrated to the Northern Hemisphere and won the Group One Golden Jubilee Stakes and July Cup.

Without delving into the stud career that Starspangledbaner is rollercoasting through, ultimately he has many top performers from very low numbers of soldiers on the ground, including last year’s Cheveley Park Stakes winner Millisle.

Two fillies have won this race in the past 20 years, La Collina in 2011 and Damson in 2004.

Aloha Star was successful on her third start and followed up three weeks ago in the Group Two Airlie Stud Stakes at the Curragh. She is out of an unraced granddaughter of Danzigaway. The Group Three winner and twice fourth in the Prix de la Foret, is the dam of top performer Silent Name as well as Group Three winner and burgeoning young sire Galiway.

While Bubbles On Ice is a maiden winner on her second start who is a granddaughter of Moyglare Stud Stakes second Fear And Greed and is distantly related to Commonwealth and Haydock Sprint Cup winner Quiet Reflection.