JESSICA Harrington knows what it takes to win the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes (4.40), having landed the €300,000 prize with Lucky Vega in 2020, and she believes Givemethebeatboys, her candidate for today’s Group 1, bears some similar characteristics to that former winner.
An impressive winner of his first two starts in a maiden at Navan and the Marble Hill Stakes at the Curragh, he changed hands to join Brosnan Racing for £1.1 million on the eve of Royal Ascot at the Goffs London Sale, going on to finish a creditable fourth at the Royal Meeting in the Coventry Stakes behind River Tiber, Army Ethos and Bucanero Fuerte.
The Bungle Inthejungle colt gets his shot at a rematch with the latter-named juvenile at the Curragh today and connections are hoping he can turn the tables, having not had an ideal run of the race last time and still finished three quarters of a length behind the subsequent Railway Stakes winner.
Shane Foley, who was aboard for his first two wins, is also back in the plate after missing the Coventry Stakes with injury when Frankie Dettori deputised.
“He’s a lovely horse who really hasn’t done a thing wrong for us this season,” Harrington told The Irish Field.
Exciting colt
“It didn’t quite work out as we had planned in the Coventry Stakes; he had always gotten cover in his previous races but that wasn’t the case at Royal Ascot.
“Hopefully we’ve got the right draw [in stall 2] for doing that at the Curragh this weekend because we’ve got two speedy ones either side of us [Bucanero Fuerte and Unquestionable] who won’t mind racing prominently. I’m looking forward to seeing how he gets on.”
On comparisons with her previous winner of the race, who stands at the Irish National Stud, Harrington added: “He’s very like Lucky Vega in terms of his temperament. Givemethebeatboys is another laid-back type who seems to take everything in his stride.”
Donnacha O’Brien has a live chance of notching the fifth Group 1 win of his career in the same top-level prize today as he sends unbeaten Albany Stakes heroine Porta Fortuna into battle under Oisin Murphy, who takes over from Frankie Dettori.
Fortuna on fire
The dual Group 3 winner, by Caravaggio, will attempt to become the first filly to win the Phoenix Stakes since La Collina in 2011.
That said, only eight fillies have tried their luck in this race since then, with Aloha Star (2020) and So Perfect (2018) finishing second and both Actress (2017) and Lottie Dod (2012) claiming third.
O’Brien said: “Porta Fortuna has won two Group 3s, so I suppose the next step now is to let her have a go at a Group 1. She’s in good form and working well, so we’re looking forward to it.
“River Tiber wasn’t declared but it’s still a very competitive field. There are three or four there who are very close on ratings - there are a few that could win it. It’s a very open race and it should be good.”