O´Brien benefit at the Curragh

As usual, the U.K. meetings today are very minor, but there is an excellent card at the Curragh. Aidan O´Brien has dominated the Irish season so far and we expect this to continue as he has strong prospects of winning at least 3 of the 4 group races. Main Event is the Grpup One Phoenis Stakes over 6 furlongs at 16.45 CET, the first European Group One of the season for 2yo´s. O´Brien has 2 of the 6 runners, with his son Joseph on War Command, who is likely to go off at odds-on after his excellent display at Royal Ascot, when he was the least-fancied of the stable´s runners in the Coventry Stakes but spreadeagled the field to win by 6 lengths. He is as a result currently the top-rated 2yo in Eiurope and it will be a shock if he is beaten today. Stable companion Wilshire Boulevard (Seamus Heffernan) and Sudirman (David Wachman/ Wayne Lordan), winner of the Railway Stakes over this CD, are the two for the minor places.

O´Brien has 3 of the 7 runners in the Group Two Debutante Stakes for 2yo fillies at 16.15 and again his son Joseph is on the hot favourite Tapestry, who won her only start in good style and is already second favourite for the 2014 1000 Guineas. Stable companions Minorette (Marc Hussey) and Perhaps (Heffernan) could make it a clean sweep for the stable.

The O´Brien´s can complete a hat-trick with ex-Australian Sea Siren in the Phoenix Sprint over 6 furlongs at 17.15. She made her European debut in the Diamond Jubilee at Royal Ascot, where she finished in mid-field, but made no mistake when easily winning on her Irish debut at Fairyhouse from Russian Soul (Mike Halford/ Shane Foley), who won again this week. However the main danger is clearly Slade Power (Eddie Lynam/ Lordan), who has run some excellent races in top company this season. He actually finished in front of Sea Siren at Royal Ascot, but we do not believe that he can concede 6 lbs to the mare now.

The one group race which may possibly not go to the O´Brien stable is the Group Three Royal Whip over 10 furlongs at 15.45, in which they are represented by top handicapper Fortify. Despite having only 5 runners, this looks a very tricky race, but in theory Scintillula (Jim Bolger/ Robbie Cleary). Like many runners from this stable, she is having to work hard for her living (see also Dawn Approach today at Deauville!), and had a hard race only on Thursday, while this is her 4th start in 3 weeks. However she has clearly the best form in the field and if still fresh enough, should win.