Aidan O’Brien has only won one juvenile G1 this year, Jessica Harrington, on the other hand, has already one two.
It’s been a long time since either were in that position, coming into Breeders Cup weekend, Aidan is, however tonight, responsible for the favourite for the rearranged Vertum Futurity and Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf, Jessica for the favourite in the Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.
1. Vertem Futurity (G1)
It’s great that the Vertem Futurity is to be run, lost in the abandonment of Doncaster last weekend, tonight it will be run on the all-weather at Newcastle, a new experience for a G1, the first to be run on an artificial surface in Europe.
Mogul will start favourite, coming here on the back of a win in the G2 Juvenile Stakes at Leopardstown over Irish Champions weekend where he was a classy winner.
The reshaped race gets a welcome boost with the entry of Ralph Beckett’s Kinross, a wide margin winner of his only run, a conditions event at Newmarket.
2. Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf (G1)
Arizona, the Coventry stakes winner, brings the Dewhurst and National Stakes form to America, third beaten a long way, 9¼L by Pinatubo at the Curragh, he improved to take much closer order, beaten only 2L when second to Pinatubo at Newmarket.
Fort Myers will also represent Ballydoyle, a winner on the all-weather at Dundalk last time out, the form took a knock when the horse he beat, Justifier, failed to justify favouritism at Leopardstown in the G3 Eyrefield Stakes last weekend when finishing third.
3. Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1)
In the Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, Daahyeh and Albigna vie for favouritism, both met at the Curragh in the G1 Moyglare Stakes, Daahyeh went off favourite finishing second to Love, Albigna who’d gone off second favourite, was behind in sixth, both came out of the race to win next time out, Daahyeh taking the G2 Rockfel Stakes at Newmarket, Albigna going to France to take the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac, both performances impressive, the Jessica Harrington trained Albigna particular that.
Tango, a listed winner last time out and Etoile, a winner of a good maiden in May, were both thrown in at the deep end when asked to contest the G1 Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket, they finished fourth and eighth respectively and will represent Aidan O’Brien.
In the juvenile division, we’d settle for a draw, a three all draw, between the two Irish trainers, Aidan O’Brien and Jessica Harrington.
Recommendations:
Vertem Futurity: Mogul 5/2 win
Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf : Arizona 5/2 win
Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf: Albigna 9/2 win
+ 2 Cross doubles and a treble