AIDAN O’Brien is unleashing a high-quality team of two-year-olds on today’s Darley Dewhurst Stakes card at Newmarket, headlined by next season’s 2000 Guineas and Derby favourite The Lion In Winter in the Group 1 feature.
No bookmaker is willing to go bigger than 5/1 about the talented Acomb Stakes winner landing next year’s 2000 Guineas, while 6/1 is the biggest price around for him in the Epsom classic.
The Sea The Stars colt created quite the impression when breaking the two-year-old track record over seven furlongs at York last time and was the general even-money favourite for today’s top-level prize (due off at 3.00pm) after declarations.
A strong Godolphin challenge lies in store. Shadow Of Light, a most impressive four-length winner of the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes here a fortnight ago, is the choice of William Buick for Charlie Appleby, while James Doyle partners unbeaten Group 2 Superlative Stakes winner Ancient Truth for the first time.
O’Brien told The Irish Field: “The Lion In Winter seems to be in good form since his last start at York. Before that, he won his maiden very nicely at the Curragh and we thought he was a nice horse heading there before he ever ran. We were very happy with what we did at York.”
Asked whether The Lion In Winter could be a 2000 Guineas contender or middle-distance prospect next season - or potentially a candidate for both directions - O’Brien said: “I’m not sure at this stage, but you’d imagine he should be able to get a mile this year. Usually when horses can do that, they have a good chance of getting a mile and a quarter next year. If they’re good enough at a mile and a quarter, they’re usually able to stay a mile and a half too.”
Undercard contenders
Irish Champions Festival runner-up Delacroix tops the market for Ballydoyle in the Group 3 Emirates Autumn Stakes (2.25) at Newmarket. It would be fitting if the Dubawi colt could collect in the week his prolific dam died, six-time Group 1/Grade 1 heroine Tepin. O’Brien is also represented by ready Punchestown maiden winner Genealogy.
“Delacroix has probably been a bit babyish but he is coming forward,” said O’Brien.
“He just got a bump early on at Leopardstown last time and that seemed to unnerve him a little bit. Genealogy had a lovely run first time out at the Curragh [when second to Acapulco Bay] and then he did well to win at Punchestown because he was very green.”
Recent Curragh maiden winner Shackleton leads the line for Ballydoyle in the Group 3 Palace Pier Zetland Stakes (1.50), joined by decisive Gowran winner County Mayo.
O’Brien said: “Shackleton ran well first time up when second at Leopardstown and then we were disappointed with him the second day at Tipperary [when runner-up to subsequent Beresford Stakes second Tennessee Stud], but the horse who beat him obviously turned out to be very good. Shackleton then won nicely at the Curragh himself. He looks like a middle-distance horse.
“County Mayo was very raw at Tipperary on his first start [when fourth behind Tennessee Stud and Shackleton] and he was still raw when he won at Gowran on his second start. He’s getting better, though, and we always feel racing can bring that type of horse on.”