Dual 1000 Guineas runner-up Together attempts to go one better in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot this afternoon.
Ryan Moore rode Aidan O'Brien's Galileo filly for the first time at the Curragh, where she looked to have the Classic in the bag before being swamped close home by stablemate Misty For Me.
"When she gets to the front she doesn't do much. For a Galileo she has loads of speed, she gets a mile well but doesn't want to be in front too long. Ascot is a tough enough finish, but the Curragh is a long way up and when you start your run you have to keep going," said O'Brien.
Richard Hannon's Memory was well fancied for the Newmarket Guineas but blotted her copybook by refusing to leave the stalls, and that is not the first time she has shown signs of trouble in the gates.
"Every drop of rain that falls will lessen Memory's chance. She is such a great mover with a turbo-charged finish, but if the ground turns soft it could blunt her speed," said Hannon on his website.
"Obviously, we all hope that there will be no repetition of Memory's debacle in the 1000 Guineas, when she refused to come out of the stalls, but we have done plenty of work at home and fingers crossed everything will be fine at the start.
"Hughesie (Richard Hughes) wants to get Memory covered up and though we don't have the best draw (9), he still has four fillies outside him, including the favourite, Together. Hopefully she can be buried in the pack and produce the same sort of finishing kick that enabled her to win the Albany last year."
Jim Bolger won the Coronation in 2008 with Lush Lashes and runs Claiomh Solais in this year's renewal.
"Her full sister (Gile Na Greine) was second in the Coronation last year. She ran a very good race in the Irish Guineas, she wasn't beaten far (two lengths) and she's an improver so we'll be expecting her to run well. She wouldn't want the ground too soft," said Bolger.
"In two months time I'd say she'll be right up there, but she's already knocking on the door."
John Gosden goes into the race with two chances for the fillies' Group One.
1000 Guineas third Maqaasid and Musidora winner Joviality represent the Newmarket handler.
The trainer told www.attheraces.com: "Maqaasid ran a great race in the 1000 Guineas, where the strong headwind at Newmarket just sapped her stamina close home. The Pouliches (French Guineas) was a bit of a write-off as she was undone by a bad draw and typically uneven French pace."
He added: "She's got a lot of class and going round a bend should help her to stay the mile.
"Joviality is bred to be a miler and the extra two furlongs of the Musidora was as far as she wants to go. She's very tough and I'm glad we sat out the French Oaks as it was a hot renewal. This looks a much more open race."
Posts
