Curragh Races: Betting Preview, racecard and tips for Sunday’s Group 1 Keeneland Phoenix Stakes
THERE is Group 1 action at the Curragh on Sunday afternoon in the shape of the Phoenix Stakes.
A field of 10 top-class two-year-old colts are set to go to post for the €200,000 race. Our man Jack Keene takes a closer look.
Key contenders
The obvious starting point is Steel Bull, who was an impressive winner of the Group 3 Molecomb at Glorious Goodwood 11 days ago.
He travelled strongly that day and overcame trouble to win a shade cosily on just his second racecourse outing. He clearly has a big engine and is going up in trip here.
English raiders The Lir Jet and Ventura Tormenta fought out a ding-dong finish in the Prix Robert Papin in France last time out.
The former was a narrow winner of the Norfolk Stakes earlier in the season, a race where he had Ventura Tormenta (who was making his debut) back in sixth.
Ventura Tormenta took a big step forward to beat Michael Bell’s charge at Chantilly and it will be interesting to see who comes out on top in clash number three.
Aidan O’Brien has a ridiculous record in this race with an incredible 16 wins – his two-year-old’s haven’t exactly been setting the world alight this year, though.
The pick of his looks to be St Mark’s Basilica, who is a beautifully-bred half-brother to Magna Grecia who showed plenty of promise when second on debut last month.
Law Of Indices and Lucky Vega also line up having finished first and second in the Railway Stakes last time.
Best of the rest
Aloha Star sprung a huge shock in the Group 2 Airlie Stud Stakes at this track last time.
The runner-up was well-fancied that day, but she has since come out and been beaten in a Listed race.
Admiral Nelson looked a very smart type when winning on debut before he disappointed in a pair of British Group 2s.
He is joined by stablemate Giorgio Visari, who appears to be getting the hang of things having banged in a quickfire double at Limerick and Naas.
Verdict
This doesn’t look a vintage renewal in all honesty. The most exciting horse in the field is Steel Bull, who preserved his unbeaten record with a ready win in the Molecomb – for all the strength of that race is debatable.
He is all speed and there is just a slight concern about him going up in trip, particularly at quite a short price. This will also make it three runs in quick succession.
The Lir Jet and Ventura Tormenta are closely matched on their French clash, but there is a suspicion the former wasn’t at his best that day and if his rediscovers his Royal Ascot form he can turn the form around.
But given Aidan O’Brien’s amazing record in this race, I might take a chance on the well-bred ST MARK’S BASILICA.
This 1.3m guineas colt shaped with distinct promise having been well-backed on his racecourse debut. He was slowly away and showed one or two signs of greenness but kept on well to finish second with the front two pulling clear.
The half-brother to Guineas hero Magna Grecia will have learnt plenty from that, and how many times have we seen young horses from Ballydoyle improve hugely from their debut over the years?