Aidan O`Brien unveiled his class of 2001 at Ballydoyle today, and believes the stable has `plenty of strength in depth` with the emphasis as ever on the classic prizes.
The seven week delay to the start of the new Flat season, combined with a very wet spring which has curtailed use of the grass gallops, has given O`Brien headaches in preparing his blue-blooded team for action. But the waiting is now over, and he is excited by his prospects for the campaign ahead.
MINARDI and GALILEO appear his two main players at this stage. Minardi has already scored twice at Group 1 level, with victories last term in the Independent Heinz 57 Phoenix Stakes and the Middle Park Stakes.
`Minardi is being aimed at the Sagitta 2,000 Guineas, and will not run beforehand. He is very forward, and in great form`, said O`Brien, whose only worry is whether this speedy colt will stay a mile.
Mick Kinane, on hand to partner the son of Boundary in a light workout, was also upbeat saying: `He`s on great terms with himself, and has every chance of staying a mile as he doesn`t pull hard. The best of him at Newmarket last year was going up the hill`.
Kinane partnered Galileo the previous morning, and commented: `He`s in good condition, and is one I`m really looking forward to ride this season.` The Sadler`s Wells colt impressed with a wide-margin win on his debut at Leopardstown last autumn, and will return to the Foxrock venue for the Ballysax Stakes on Monday.
Galileo ranks highly in the current pecking order at Ballydoyle, and O`Brien said: `He should stay a mile and a half, and has shown us a lot of class in his work. The Derrinstown Derby Trial is his likely target after the Ballysax Stakes.`
Here is what the master of Ballydoyle had to say about his other leading three-year-olds:
MOZART - He will run in the 2,000 Guineas Trial at Leopardstown on Monday. He has a lot of tactical speed and, if we were to have a runner in the Kentucky Derby, he would be the one.
FREUD- He will run in a six furlong maiden at Leopardstown next Tuesday. We took a gamble by running him twice in Group 1`s last autumn, and it didn`t work. He will be brought along much slower this season, and I still have a lot of faith in him.
HEMINGWAY - He missed three weeks last month with a slight muscle problem but has caught up quickly. He will be aimed at the Irish 2,000 Guineas, and could run before that in the Tetrarch Stakes.
BECKETT - He could go straight for the Irish 2,000 Guineas. He is a lazy sort (the exact opposite to Hemingway), and needs plenty of work.
KING`S COUNTY - He`s always been a good worker, and is going well at the moment. The French 2,000 Guineas is a possibility.
PEBBLE ISLAND - (Deputy Minister-Run For Lassie) He will make his debut in the ten furlong maiden at Leopardstown on Monday. He`s got great presence but was unable to run last year after getting a kick.
IMAGINE - She is bred to get at least ten furlongs being a half-sister to Generous, and has done well over the winter.
SEQUOYAH - She may run in the 1,000 Guineas Trial at Leopardstown on Monday but a mile is probably as far as she will stay.
TOROCA - She is working great, and may go for a fillies maiden at Leopardstown next Tuesday depending on the ground. She wants it fast.
MILAN, another possible runner in the Ballysax Stakes, and MEDITERRANEAN are two Sadler`s Wells colts that also figure in Derby plans at Ballydoyle.
JUNIPER and ISHIGURU are the two main sprinting hopes this season, and both may reappear in the Greenlands Stakes at the Curragh.
BACH and MULL OF KINTYRE are still in O`Brien`s care and, apart from lead horses Shoal Creek and Code of Honour, are in fact the only older horses in the yard.
Bach broke his pelvis after finishing second in a Group 1 over nine furlongs at Chantilly last June. `He was very lucky to survive, and has made a great recovery. He could reappear in the Gladness Stakes at the Curragh. Alternatively he may go for the Mooresbridge Stakes and then on to the Tattersalls Gold Cup`, said O`Brien.
Mull Of Kintyre - `He was working well with Giant`s Causeway last spring but missed the season after injuring a pedal bone. He was to go for the Gladness but that will come too soon after pulling a muscle. He is now being aimed at the Lockinge Stakes in Newbury`.
The juvenile squad is again stock-piled with choice pedigrees. Among those highlighted at this early stage were:
ROAR OF THE TIGER (Storm Cat - Mariah`s Storm) - a `very powerful and strong` full brother to Giant`s Causeway.
DIAGHILAV (Sadler`s Wells - Darara) - a 3.4million guineas purchase who is `working nicely`.
DESERT EAGLE (Desert King - In Full Cry) - `very like his dad, and could be our horse for the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot`.
SHAH JEHAN (Mr Prospector - Vodoo Lily), who cost $4.4m, and SORCEROUS (Sadler`s Wells - La Papagena), a two million guineas half-brother to Grand Lodge, are others to keep in mind.
Mick Kinane was aboard LANDSEER (Danehill - Sabria), and later described him as `a well balanced and mature colt`. He will be O`Brien`s first runner of the season at Leopardstown on Monday.
Despite all the promise that his current 80 strong team hold, O`Brien still comes alive when discussing ISTABRAQ. `He will go to Leopardstown for the Shell Champion Hurdle and, as long as he is healthy and well, he`ll be back for a crack at a fourth Smurfit Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham next March. It is a shame for JP (McManus) that Cheltenham was called off this year but a lot of farmers are suffering much worse than us due to the Foot and Mouth disease`.
`The Government, especially Minister Joe Walsh, are doing a great job at keeping the disease at bay. It is a difficult situation for everybody but we will do whatever the Department of Agriculture wants us to do. All we can do now is take it day by day, and we`ll have a better idea the week before the Guineas`.
`It would be a setback if we could not run at Newmarket but it is out of our hands. We will not have a runner in England before the Guineas meeting. The ground is very soft in France at the moment, so it`s important to keep all our options open. That`s why we made a big entry for the Italian Derby`, said O`Brien.
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