Racing:A quintet of Aidan O'Brien runners will come up against Richard Hannon's Dubawi Gold in Saturday's Abu Dhabi Irish 2000 Guineas at the Curragh. But Dream Ahead and Pathfork will not make the trip across the Irish Sea for the classic.
Aidan O’Brien has High Ruler, Master Of Hounds, Oracle, Roderic O’Connor and Zoffany still involved, while Kevin Prendergas will saddle Dunboyne Express, Foolproof and Zabarajad. Dubawi Gold, who finished closest to Frankel on the Rowley Mile as the runner-up, fourth-placed Slim Shadey and Michael Dods’ Ashva complete the 11-strong line-up.
Pathfork had been among those in the earlier field despite being a rather disappointing seventh at Newmarket. Trainer Jessica Harrington said there was nothing amiss with Pathfork, reporting: “He is fine, but I’ve been away for a week and haven’t yet talked to the owners (the Silverton Hill Partnership) about making a plan for him.”
David Simcock will now focus the attentions of last year’s Middle Park winner Dream Ahead on the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot and a potential rematch with Frankel, who beat him in the Dewhurst last autumn.
“Dream Ahead won’t be running in Ireland — the forecast is not in his favour,” he said. “It has been a difficult spring for us as we feel we haven’t been able to do the work on grass with the horse that we would liked to have done.
“We’ve always genuinely felt that he is a horse who needs cut in the ground. With it having been so dry for so long, it has been frustrating. At the same time, I am delighted with his mindset and how he is, physically. Our next option is the St James’s Palace Stakes, allowing for good ground or easier.”