Comanche Brave winning at the Curragh

Runners from Japan, France, Ireland, Australia, and Denmark, as well as the home team, mean this is a truly international race.

Joliestar represents Chris Waller. He is the Aidan O’Brien down under, having already won 16 Group 1s so far this year. Joliestar has won his last three, including the Canterbury Stakes and the T J Smith Stakes, both Group 1 s.

Satono Reve is trained in Japan by Noriyuki Hori. He went off favourite for this last year, running second to Lazzat, beaten ½L. In March, he won the Takamatsunomiya Kinen and then went to Hong Kong to run second to Ka Ying Rising, by far the best sprinter the world has ever seen; he was beaten 4¼L.

Bjorn Baker runs Overpass again, another Aussie, who was third here to Mission Central in the King Charles III Stakes over 5f on Tuesday. In the T J Smith, he was fourth behind Joliestar.

Donnacha O’Brien has Comanche Brave in the race. He went to Hong Kong, finishing fifth 6L behind Ka Ying Rising, since he was an easy winner of the Greenlands Stakes at the Curragh.

Lugal is another Japanese runner trained by Yoshimasa Ema. Last time out, he ran second in the Al Qouz Sprint, beaten by a neck. Lazzat was a length behind him in third.

Bent Olsen’s Danish runner Great Wish sprung a surprise in Dubai in January, taking a Listed contest at 66/1.

Two travel from France. Andre Fabre sends Sajir, winner of the Prix Maurice de Gheest last summer, when he beat Lazzat. He was a winner at Listed level over 5f last time out. The other French horse, Stolen Kiss, trained by Patrice Cottier, comes here having won his last three on the bounce, the last twice beating Sajir.

The home team’s best chance lies with Willie Haggas’s Lake Forest. He was runner-up in the Commonwealth Cup here in 2024 and was a very impressive winner over 7f last time out.

The Wathnan pair, James Fanshawe’s Kind Of Blue, a previous G1 winner of the Champions Sprint Stakes here in 2024 and Andrew Balding’s Flora Of Bermuda, third in this last year, will make the raiders fight for this. Charlie Hills Khaadem also loves it here, having won this in 2023 and 2024.

Conclusion

A cracking renewal. Joliestar sets the standard. She gets a mare allowance and will be very hard to beat; however, at 6/4f, she is a skinny price. Santono Reve may go one better than last year, but 5/2 is a tight price too.

Two horses have been campaigned over longer distances.

Lake Forest and Comanche Brave both come back in trip from 7f and a mile. Lake Forest has been gelded since his last run and is tempting; however, Comanche Brave is a more attractive proposition at 14/1.

He is new to the sprinting game and was not that far off Santono Reve in Hong Kong on his first crack at it. At the Curragh, he looked like he had learnt a lot. A significant jockey booking in Pierre-Charles Boudot could provide a champagne return.

Recommendation

Comanche Brave 14/1 ew