Profound Beauty wins Saval Beg Stakes
In a weekend when Aidan O’Brien’s preparations for the Investec Derby took a hit, he found little solace in events on the track.
Aside from trying to decide which of his entries should be running at Epsom, O’Brien is also seeking a successor to Yeats, the four-times winner of the Gold Cup, for this year’s royal meeting. That became all the harder after Age Of Aquarius failed his audition.
The odds-on favourite was expected to come on from his run at Chester earlier this month but could not overcome Profound Beauty in the Seamus & Rosemary McGrath Memorial Saval Beg Stakes at Leopardstown.
Johnny Murtagh took Age Of Aquarius into the lead about four furlongs out after, Donegal had made the running, but Pat Smullen (pictured) always had him in his sights on Profound Beauty. Smullen eased the mare into the lead with a furlong to run and was always holding Age Of Aquarius to win by a half-length.
Dermot Weld, trainer of Profound Beauty, nominated a possible return to Australia in November for the Melbourne Cup, in which she finished fifth two years ago.
Another trainer with ambitious plans is Michael Jarvis who may take a leap of faith with Sajjhaa. The King’s Best filly only made her racecourse debut two weeks ago but is likely to take her chance in the Investec Oaks on Friday.
Sajjhaa looked impressive when she won at Sandown Park 11 days ago when she beat Saggiatore by seven lengths. If Sajjhaa does run there should be no worries about the ground. Andrew Cooper, Epsom’s director of racing, has begun watering, following a mainly dry forecast, to maintain the current going for this weekend’s meeting.
Speaking over the weekend he said: “We had about three millimetres at lunchtime and around one millimetre from a shower in the evening so four in total. I walked the track on Sunday morning and I'm going to call it good, good to firm in places and it definitely walks to me just on the fast side of good. It's lovely Flat racing ground.
“The only meaningful prospect of rain looks to be Tuesday. We are going to be dry between now and then before a weakish weather front comes across. Even then the suggestion is only a millimetre or two of rain max and then it looks like the end of the week will be dry and getting warmer.
“At the moment Friday and Saturday are potentially shaping up to be dry and pleasant low to mid 20 degree days. We will kick on with the watering again on Monday providing I don't get anything contrary in terms of forecasts in the next 24 hours.
“We'll do a circuit of the track but won't go crazy, putting on something like a quarter-of-an-inch or six millimetres. At the back of our minds, the forecast for the end of the week is very good for racegoers but it could dry the track quickly."
Kieren Fallon, who has yet to secure a Derby ride, got the week off to a good start when he won the Group Two Oaks d'Italia at San Siro on Contredanse, trained by Luca Cumani.
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