Del Mar – Pattern Racing.Com

Four Irish trained runners will go to post for the juvenile turf sprint. Here we access their chances.

Aidan O’Brien runs a pair in Whistlejacket with Ryan Moore in the plate and Ides Of March with Frankie Dettori aboard.

Whistlejacket race record reads 3 wins from 7 runs.

He’s been on the go all season. First time out he has won over this minimum trip (beating Arizona Blaze) at Listed level at the Curragh in May in the First Flier Stakes over 5f. He then ran fourth in the G2 Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot and was a winner over 6f in G2 July Stakes at Newmarket. He went off favourite for the G1 Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh where he ran second to a very good filly in Babouche. A week later he got his G1 win when taking the G1 Prix Morny at Deauville over 6f. In his last run in the G1 Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket he was second again, this time going down to Shadow Of Light who went on to frank the form when taking Europe’s premier juvenile race, the G1 Dewhurst at Newmarket.

Whistlejacket at the Curragh in August

Ides Of March race record reads 2 wins from 4 runs.

He is a G3 winner having taken the Round Tower at the Curragh over 6f. It will be his first try at this minimum trip.

Ides Of March winning at the Curragh in August

Adrian Murray sends Arizona Blaze with Umberto Rispoli in the plate. His race record is 2 wins from 7 runs.

Like Whistlejacket he’s been on the go all year. He was out for the first meeting of the season at the Curragh in March when he won his Maiden over this trip. His form overall has been solid with his best run being over 6f when he finished third, behind Babouche and Whistlejacket in the G1 Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh. He’d previously put in a good performance at Royal Ascot when third to Shareholder in the Norfolk Stakes over 5f finishing a short head in front of Whistlejacket who finished in fourth.

Arizona Blaze at the Curragh in August

Ger Lyons Magnum Force makes the trip with Colin Keane aboard. His race record is 1 win from 4 runs.

He won a Maiden at Cork over 5f and was unlucky not to win at York next time out when running second to Aesterius beaten a neck when drawn on the wrong side of the track. He then ran third in the G2 Flying Childers at Doncaster over 5f and comes here with each-way claims.

This is a competitive race with good horses from Japan, England, and the USA however of the Irish contingent, it is Whistlejacket who commands the most respect. He has tended to over race, as he did in the Phoenix Stakes, this is due to his natural speed, the return of this minimum trip should therefore be a plus and his class can shine out.

Recommendation

Whistlejacket 13/2 win