O’Brien’s Opera Singer ready to call the tune at Goodwood
OPERA Singer should hit the right note in Thursday’s feature race at Glorious Goodwood with victory in the Qatar Nassau Stakes.
Aidan O’Brien’s three-year-old star completed her juvenile campaign in style by storming to a fivelength success in the Prix Marcel Boussac on Arc weekend but has had two near misses on her subsequent starts this season.
She was third in the Irish 1,000 Guineas at the Curragh in May before narrowly going down by a length at Royal Ascot in the Coronation Stakes last time out.
The well-bred daughter of Justify will step up to 10 furlongs for the first time in Sussex, with challenges expected from John and Thady Gosden’s Emily Upjohn, who was supplemented into the race, plus French raider Sparkling Plenty and 1000 Guineas winner Elmalka.
Wathnan Racing will be hoping The Strikin Viking lives up to his name in the Markel Richmond Stakes. The two-year-old has been impressive during his short career to date, claiming a York maiden on debut before finishing half a length behind Henri Matisse in the Group Two Railway Stakes at the Curragh.
Those displays, under trainer Kevin Ryan, led to Wathnan purchasing the son of Inns Of Court last week and The Strikin Viking is now with Hamad Al Jehani.
Jan Brueghel is aiming to maintain his unbeaten record when heading the field in the John Pearce Racing Gordon Stakes. The son of Galileo will attempt a mile and a half for the first time as O’Brien’s charge targets a third successive victory.
He blitzed his rivals with an eightlength win on debut before holding off Trustyourinstinct by a neck to secure the Group Three Al Basti Equiworld Dubai International Stakes – both at the Curragh. The lightly-raced three-year-old faces more experienced rivals but, under the hands of Ryan Moore, his undoubted quality can see him prevail once again.
Qirat will look to take advantage of course knowledge when lining up for the HKJC World Pool Handicap.
He shone at the Chichester track in May, when he won by a length and three-quarters in a Class Two handicap, albeit over seven furlongs.
This time it will be a mile, the same distance as when finishing sixth in the Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot and fifth last time in the bet365 Mile Handicap at Newmarket, and despite carrying top weight, course management could prove the difference for Ralph Beckett’s colt.
Dreamrocker will have to defy top weight in her bid for a quickfire double at Epsom.
The daughter of Fastnet Rock held off Leuven Power by a neck to win at Ascot earlier this month for her second career success and Ed Walker should be confident she can progress, despite a 4lb rise for the Outdoor Advertising Is The Best British EBF Fillies’ Handicap.
At the Galway Festival, Reverend Hubert will aim to bounce back to winning ways in the Guinness Open Gate Brewery Novice Chase.
Charles six-year-old prominent when he almost fell and unseated jockey Philip Byrnes last time out at Killarney, when attempting to secure a hat-trick of triumphs.
Nicky Henderson’s Under Control can make the trip over from Lambourn worthwhile, as he has the scope to go well in the valuable Guinness Galway Hurdle.
■Selections Epsom:
6.00 Expert Witness,
6.30 Parole d’Oro, 7.00 Dreamrocker, 7.30 Land Of Magic, 8.05 Rogue Tornado, 8.35 Alpine Girl.
2.10 Stuzzikini,
2.45 Reverend Hubert,
3.20 Giuseppe Cassioli,
3.55 Princess Child, 4.30 Born Braver, 5.05 Under Control,
5.40 Chatterbox, 6.10 Leave In Secret.
1.50 Approval, 2.25 The Strikin Viking, 3.30 Jan Brueghel, 3.35 OPERA SINGER (NAP), 4.10 El Burhan, 4.45 Enchanting,
5.20 Stellenbosch, 5.55 Qirat.
2.00 Royal Equerry, 2.35 Profiteer, 3.10 Currumbin,
3.45 Love Your Work, 4.20 Pledge Of Honour, 4.55 Kissininthebackrow.
5.45 Brian The Snail, 6.15 Pen Portrait, 6.45 Royal Velvet, 7.15 Supaspecialawesome, 7.45 Endless Power, 8.15 Intellotto, 8.45 Al Barez.
Opera Singer and The Strikin