Excelebration for O´Brien

Excelebration, who won the German 2,000 Guineas last season and went on to become the second-best 3yo miler in Europe has been sold to Coolmore and has his first race for his new connections in the Group 3 Gladness Stakes at 17.20 CET at the Curragh today. Now trained by Aidan O´Brien and ridden by son Joseph, he has to give 6lbs away today, but should still win easily. His strongest opponent could be Beacon Lodge (David Nicholls/ Fran Berry), but he is well held on 2011 form, and it would be no huge surprise to see O´Brien´s other runner Windsor Palace (Seamus Heffernan) run into the money as well.
The O´Briens can also take the main supporting feature, the listed Loughbrown Stakes over 7 furlongs for 3yos at 16.50, with Nephrite, who is still unbeaten and quoted at 20-1 for the 2,000 Guineas. He is not the stable´s main hope for that classic, but it will be surprising if he is beaten today, and again the stable´s second string Requisition could be placed.
The other listed race at the Curragh at 15.50 should go to Zaminast (Dermot Weld/ Pat Smullen) who at these weights can defeat Coolmore´s Chrysanthemum (David Wachman/Wayne Lordan), penalised for winning a group race last month.

Betting forecast at Curragh:
1. Race: Infanta Branca - Leitir Mor - Dorothy Parker
2. Race: Zaminast - Chrysanthemum - Vivacious Vivienne
3. Race: Cnocan Diva - Luan Cincise - Foot Soldier
4. Race: Nephrite - Bible Black - Tough As Nails
5. Race: Excelebration - Beacon Lodge - Croisultan
6. Race: Ansaab - Midnight Music - Sharalam
7. Race: Marchese Marconi - Show Court - Ebazan
8. Race: Giant`S Quest - Midnight Soprano - Face Value