LEOPARDSTOWN REVIEW
Michael Kinane had a cracking afternoon at Leopardstown's first flat meeting of the season.
The former champion jockey won five races on the card, in the process landing both Guineas trials and the listed Balllysax Stakes for his retaining stable.
High Chaparral was the pick of the bunch when most impressive in the Ballysax stakes. He looked at ease on the fast ground and pulled seven lengths clear of the opposition having struck the front with over a furlong to run.
Winning trainer Aidan O'Brien was obviously delighted with the performance and said: 'he is a serious horse and had been working well. He is a real good mover and should stay a mile and a half. He will next run in the Derrinstown Derby Trial and then we will have a think about the Derby itself.' He is now as short as 6/1 for the Epsom classic.
Century City gave the impression that middle distances will be more his forte after a workmanlike performance in the 2,000 Guineas trial.
Aidan O'Brien said of the winner: ' he is still a baby, but Mick was very happy with him and he remains a possible for the Saggita 2,000 Guineas'. He is unchanged at 33/1 for that event with most bookmaking firms.
Lahinch came out best in a blanket finish to the 1,000 Guineas Trial and surprisingly had her price shortened for the English classic. She is 16/1 from double those odds with Sean Graham, while Paddy Power were slightly less impressed, cutting her to 25/1 from 33/1.
Her stablemate, Pietra Dura, would be a confident choice to reverse form with the four that finished in front of her over an extra furlong.
Diaghilev justified favouritism in the 1m2f 3-y-o maiden with the minimum of fuss. Kinane was ultra-confident aboard the son of Sadler's Wells, waiting until inside the final furlong to ask his mount for an effort. The response was immediate as Diaghilev quickened past the leader Hanzali to win by two lengths.
Calamella, the first of Kinane's quintet, won with plenty in hand in the Sugarloaf Maiden having got a dream run through on the inner turning for home and went on to score by an eased down three and a half lengths.
