MOURAYAN MAY not figure among the contenders for the Epsom Derby anymore but John Oxx is keen to see the Aga Khan-owned colt run on soft conditions soon. After finishing well beaten behind Fame And Glory in the Derrinstown Derby Trial at Leopardstown, Mourayan was ruled out of Epsom but described as a possible for the Irish Derby.
Oxx believes testing ground conditions could be the key to a colt who has also finished third to Fame And Glory in the Ballysax Stakes this season.
“I haven’t trained too many by Alhaarth but I’m told they need soft ground,” the Curragh trainer said. “He did jump the road at Leopardstown the last day and didn’t seem to race at all after that. He never came out of second gear,” Oxx added.
“He came back with a little muscle soreness and possibly it all came down to the ground not being soft enough.”
Oxx also yesterday described the St James’s Palace Stakes as a possible target for another of his strong three-year-old team, Arazan, after the colt was ruled out of the Irish Guineas last week due to a temperature.
“He is back cantering now and looks better. He has brightened up well and is over it. We are going to try and get him ready for the St James’s Palace but that comes plenty soon enough. It could be difficult to have him in peak form but that is the aim,” Oxx said.
He also gave an upbeat report on Sea The Stars’ Derby preparation and confirmed Rayeni on track for Saturday’s Irish 2,000 Guineas after a satisfactory piece of work yesterday.
“He worked on grass that was quite soft and he liked that,” Oxx reported. “All this rain is in his favour but we don’t know how good he is. He’s won a maiden and a Group Three so it is a big step up. I’m sure nobody is particularly pleased with the conditions right now. Soft ground horses could even find it against them if it is very heavy.”
That hasn’t stopped some support for the Richard Hannon-trained Soul City who is now 10 to 1 from 14s with Boylesports for Saturday’s 2,000. Soul City is in line for a €1 million bonus if he wins this weekend’s Classic after landing last season’s Goffs Million.
