Usdi Atohi (left)© Photo Healy Racing
Usdi Atohi has the opportunity to secure her place in some exciting autumn races as she tackles six furlongs for the second time in Saturday’s Heider Family Stables Round Tower Stakes at the Curragh.
A Listed winner over five furlongs at Tipperary in early July, Donnacha O’Brien’s promising filly put in a commendable effort when finishing fifth in the Molecomb Stakes at Goodwood on her next outing.
She was close behind subsequent Lowther Stakes victor Celandine on the Sussex Downs, and her recent performances suggest that stepping up in distance could be advantageous. Consequently, connections are eager to see how she fares over six furlongs in this competitive Group Three race.
A strong showing could potentially pave the way for Usdi Atohi to join stablemate Porta Fortuna in the Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket later in the season, with this race serving as a key indicator for her future prospects.
“She ran very well at Goodwood and that form has worked out well, the filly who finished beside her won the Lowther,” said O’Brien.
“We are keen to try six again in case she could be a Cheveley Park filly, so we are going back up in trip.
“Looking at her run the other day (at Goodwood), she kind of hit a little bit of a flat spot against those speedsters and then stayed on again, so it looks like six furlongs is within her range anyway.
“The last time she ran at six furlongs, she kind of stumbled quite badly, so we’re writing off that run and this will let us know where we are going.”
Porta Fortuna, of course, also went on to run at the Breeders’ Cup during her juvenile season and with two of the connections involved in O’Brien’s star miler owning Usdi Atohi, a trip to Del Mar in November is also in the thought process.
“Barry Fowler and Steve Weston, who own her, are American, so we would love to be able to take her to a Breeders’ Cup,” continued O’Brien.
“She would have to probably win a Group race for that to happen, so that is what we are trying to do as well.”
The Round Tower Stakes could prove an O’Brien dominated affair, with Donnacha’s father Aidan responsible for likely favourite Ides Of March.
The son of Wootton Bassett, who is out of American Grade One winner Nickname, was a beaten favourite behind next year’s Derby favourite The Lion In Winter before shedding his maiden status in good style over track and trip recently.
Ides Of March and Ryan Moore win the Revamp Conservation And Restoration Irish EBF Maiden for trainer Aidan O Brien Healy© Photo Healy Racing
Also towards the top of the bookmakers’ lists is Joseph O’Brien’s Rudi’s Apple, who drops back in grade having contested the Phoenix Stakes earlier this month.
Elsewhere on the card, the exciting Dreamy takes the next step in her career in the Newtownanner Stud Irish EBF Stakes.
The Ballydoyle-trained daughter of American Pharoah, who is owned jointly by the Niarchos family and the Coolmore partners, is as short as 20-1 for next year’s Oaks after making a winning debut at Goodwood and now moves up in both distance and level for this Group Three contest.
