DEUTSCHLAND MAY have saved bookmakers a monster pay-out at Galway last week but the versatile horse is rated a 20 to 1 shot to still score a major handicap success in York’s Totesport Ebor in two weeks.
The Willie Mullins-trained horse was a red-hot favourite to land the Galway Hurdle last Thursday but had to settle for the runner-up position behind Bahrain Storm.
Mullins, however, is switching Deutschland back to the level for Europe’s most valuable flat handicap, and he will be accompanied by his stable companion Sesenta.
“They are both being aimed at the Ebor at the moment,” Ireland’s champion jumps trainer said yesterday. “Deutschland is holding his form tremendously well. He just didn’t jump well enough at Galway. He was a classy novice chaser, he has won on the flat, he’s won on the all-weather and he’s won over hurdles, so he has done it all. I think he is well worth a run in it.
“I hope Sesenta gets into the race. She is only three below the favourite (Changingoftheguard) and, looking at her rating, horses with a similar mark over the last few years have got in. She is only 15 hands so hopefully she will have a real racing weight at York,” he added.
Just six Irish-trained horses have won the Ebor and the last of them to win the historic feature was Aidan O’Brien’s Mediterranean in 2001, who bridged a 28-year gap for the Irish.
The champion flat trainer is well-represented this time, too, with the Ulster Derby winner Changingoftheguard installed a 4 to 1 favourite by Ladbrokes. O’Brien also has the option of running Age Of Aquarius, who was Group One-placed on his last start in the Grand Prix de Paris and Johann Zoffany.
