AIDAN O’BRIEN is deferring any decision on who will step in for the suspended Johnny Murtagh on board Cape Blanco in the King George VI Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot on Saturday week.
Murtagh’s six-day suspension on the back of last week’s July Cup success by Starspangledbanner, and his subsequent decision not to appeal, also means the Sussex Stakes ride on Rip Van Winkle at Goodwood is available.
However, despite some speculation that Ballydoyle’s former number one Kieren Fallon could be in line for the coveted spare rides, O’Brien admits only speculative discussions have taken place about arrangements. “It’s a good bit away yet and we haven’t gone into it in any great detail,” he said yesterday. “It’s possible we could keep it in-house but it might be open too. We’ll have to see.”
Ireland’s champion trainer has the one overseas challenger for this evening’s “Bastille Day” highlight at Longchamp when Jan Vermeer will attempt to emulate O’Brien’s 2005 success with Scorpion in the Juddmonte Grand Prix De Paris. Jan Vermeer was fourth, when favourite, to Workforce in the Epsom Derby and was then third to Cape Blanco in the Irish Derby at the end of last month. “He hasn’t done much since the Curragh but he’s in good form and we are told it is good ground in France which will be fine,” O’Brien said.
There will be plenty of interest in the appearance of Your Busy in the featured €24,500 handicap hurdle at Killarney this evening. The James Nash-trained horse is owned by rugby international Ronan O’Gara and is coming to the race on the back of victories at Bellewstown and Ballinrobe that indicated a horse on the up.
Both wins were by narrow margins but Your Busy travelled noticeably well and being just 1lb out of the handicap proper certainly puts him at the right end of the weights scale.
The change in ground conditions could play to Kilmurry’s advantage in the Beginners Chase. Different ground may also be the key to Andantino’s chance in the mile handicap.
