Opportunity Knocks For The Weekend Stars

[Wandering Eyes]

Justify does Triple Crowns, that we already know, but few would have expected he would be on the verge of another so early in his second career. Responsible for the winners of this season's 2,000 Guineas and last year's Derby, he has dead aim on the St Leger on Saturday courtesy of Scandinavia as he bids to complete a remarkable turf trinity to augment his own groundbreaking one on the dirt.

Scandinavia didn't start his career in the manner of Ruling Court or City Of Troy, but then not many St Leger winners produce any fireworks until well into their second season and Ballydoyle's embryonic stayer supreme has certainly turned a corner from July onwards. Having pounded his peers in the Bahrain Trophy, he upstaged his grizzled elders in the Goodwood Cup, in the process confirming how far he has come since finishing seventh in a maiden on this card 12 months ago.

With Ryan Moore and Wayne Lordan out of action on one of the biggest weekends in the calendar, Tom Marquand is the chief beneficiary as he was five years ago when deputising for Shane Crosse on Galileo Chrome. “He's looked a good horse this summer, I suppose he's one of those who has just really found his mojo over these top staying trips,” he said of his choice mount in the final Classic. “He had to get really stuck in at Goodwood, but he did that really well and in the Bahrain Trophy he made relatively light work of the others.”

As Moore is generally at Leopardstown on this day, it was Sean Levey who capitalised 12 months ago and it was no surprise to learn that he had been called upon again by Aidan O'Brien for the ride on Lambourn. Prior to Newmarket's July Festival, this was the one to be on all ends up, but a mixture of Scandinavia bursting onto the scene and a lacklustre Great Voltigeur effort from the dual Derby hero means he enters the fray here as the second-string.

Since the near-miss of Camelot in 2012, this Classic has failed to draw the Derby winner although in fairness to Coolmore it is certain that had Australia, Auguste Rodin and City Of Troy won their Guineas they would have all been here attempting the holy quest of the Triple Crown. Lambourn was never going to Newmarket and is in many ways more a Leger-type Blue Riband winner than any of his predecessors from this stable, it's just that performance at York that tempers enthusiasm.

Also in the mix from Rosegreen is Galileo's last Classic runner Stay True and the Queen's Vase winner Carmers, one of the initial products of Fiona Carmichael's huge investment in the Sea The Stars mare Signe at the 2014 Goffs Orby Sale. While it is probably true that Scandinavia has gone nuclear since trailing him at Royal Ascot, Paddy Twomey's colt hasn't exactly stopped moving forward himself and there is a danger that his Voltigeur effort under a penalty has been underestimated.

 

Super Soumy Supersub?

Leopardstown's opener to Irish Champions Weekend sees Christophe Soumillon take several high-profile rides in the void that Coolmore's number one has left. Obviously, all focus will be on his G1 Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes mount Delacroix (Dubawi), Ballydoyle's big hope for the latest edition who will presumably have this set up perfectly unlike in the Juddmonte International fiasco last month.

There are contrasting messages as to the real merit of Tepin's final offering and it probably comes down to whether he can reproduce that unforgettable surge up Sandown's hill off a strong pace rather than a moderate one. Aidan O'Brien contends that he needs it good and honest, so Mount Kilimanjaro (Siyouni) must be here to provide it, but he doesn't have an obvious pacemaker profile so this could get interesting.

On a weekend of jockeys missing out and others coming into the frame as a result, Chris Hayes takes over from the stricken Jim Crowley on Shadwell's admirable warrior Anmaat (Awtaad) who is probably the obvious one the way this renewal has taken shape. One that has a familiar rider on top is last year's third Shin Emperor (Siyouni), who is back again on slower ground which will probably suit with Ryusei Sakai having that experience of 12 months ago to call upon.

In the G1 Coolmore America Justify Matron Stakes, the Prix Rothschild heroine Fallen Angel (Too Darn Hot) looks to inflict another defeat on Ballydoyle's January (Kingman), with Soumillon charged with getting that first Group 1. If Delacroix offers a slightly tricky scenario in the feature, this filly will require all of the Belgian's finesse following her three seconds and a third in her attempts so far. She is fitted with cheekpieces for the first time as Aidan O'Brien looks to unlock that extra percentage point, which she will need with the Coronation Stakes heroine Cercene (Australia) and course specialist Vera's Secret (Epaulette) in attendance.

Interestingly, the sheepskin is also on the yard's G1 Comer Group International Irish St Leger hope Illinois (Galileo) at The Curragh on Sunday as the fellow Group 1 nearly-horse takes on Australian Bloodstock's Al Riffa (Wootton Bassett) and the Aykroyds' unbeaten three-year-old Amiloc (Postponed) in a fascinating affair.

Where it gets more straightforward for Soumillon is in the G1 Moyglare Stud Stakes, where the faultless G2 Debutante Stakes winner Composing (Wootton Bassett) could provide that welcome armchair ride. Her G2 Airlie Stud Stakes and G3 Prestige Stakes-winning stablemates Beautify (Wootton Bassett) and Precise (Starspangledbanner) back up the assault on the unbeaten G1 Prix Morny heroine Venetian Sun (Starman).

Unsurprisingly, Ballydoyle have half of the field for the G1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National Stakes, where the Coventry winner and Morny runner-up Gstaad (Starspangledbanner) is the flagbearer as he encounters the unbeaten Group 2 winners Saba Desert (Dubawi) and Zavateri (Without Parole). In the weekend's other Group 1, the Nunthorpe heroine Asfoora (Flying Artie) becomes the first Australian-trained runner to race in Ireland in Bar One Racing Flying Five Stakes. In another jockey-go-round, Dylan Browne McMonagle takes over from Oisin Murphy in the saddle. Amo Racing have two big chances in the dash in the Phoenix Sprint Stakes winner Bucanero Fuerte (Wootton Bassett) and the Sapphire Stakes winner Arizona Blaze (Sergei Prokofiev).

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