WEEKEND PREVIEWS:THE CURRAGH hosts Ireland's richest ever race day tomorrow with over €3.6 million up for grabs and a couple of instant equine millionaires set to be crowned in the two Parknasilla Hotel Goffs Million races, writes Brian O'Connor
For once such black-type features as the Group Two Juddmonte Beresford Stakes and the Group Three CL Weld Park Stakes will have to take a back seat to a couple of races worth €1.6 million each that are confined to horses sold at last year's Goffs Million sale.
Last year the fillies race threw up an exceptional winner in Lush Lashes who was having her first ever start but she, and Luck Money who led home a British 1-2-3 in the male race, performed in front of a crowd under 6,500.
That took place on a Friday though and the switch to Sunday is hoped to bring in a crowd closer to the 10,000 that were here for inaugural Million series when it was held in conjunction with the Ryder Cup.
However, whether in these more frugal economic times there is a public appetite for watching mostly unknown two-year-olds racing for mammoth prize money is debatable. What isn't is that every one of the 19 runners in the male event and the 25 in the fillies race will be trying hard and when it comes to trying Alhaban looks like a colt to have on your side.
The Sheikh Hamdan-owned colt was bred by the Goffs chairwoman, Eimear Mulhern, and a €100,000 purchase last autumn, but didn't waste any time getting into action as he won first time out at headquarters in April.
That was on very heavy ground and Alhaban reappeared on a better surface in a much better race when running no less than Mastercraftsman to a short head in the Group Two Railway Stakes.
His only subsequent start was when tailed off in the Phoenix but that can be ignored as the ground was much too firm for him. Kevin Prendergast, a Million winner with Miss Beatrix in 2006, reported that Alhaban came back sore and he has been given plenty of time since.
Certainly the ground should be more in his favour this time and Alhaban appeals as a tough ready-made two-year-old who might have too much experience for some of these.
Aidan O'Brien runs three and so does Jim Bolger whose Intense Focus was only just behind Alhaban in the Railway. However, the interesting one of the Coolcullen trio appears to be Gan Anhras.
Bolger has a high opinion of this Galileo colt who beat Masterofthehorse at Naas in July. He runs here in preference to the Beresford and is sure to be fancied although he is dropping back from a mile.
Mambo Light is an interesting runner in the fillies race as this €325,000 purchase races from the yard of the top German trainer Andreas Wohler. She ran second in a Baden-Baden Group Three on her last start. Dermot Weld's Luminous Eyes brings Group Three winning form to the party, however, and she has shown a versatility in terms of ground that is encouraging in today's context.
However, the best single piece of form looks to come from Oui Say Oui who should be okay on the going and who boasts a second to Again in the Debutante Stakes.
Normally the Beresford would command plenty of attention with Aidan O'Brien represented by half the six-strong field as he pursues a 10th win in the race.
However, most attention will probably centre on Sea The Stars, a half brother to Galileo, who earned Derby quotes with an impressive maiden success at Leopardstown. John Oxx has a high opinion of Sea The Stars and his last Beresford winner was no less than Azamour in 2003.
Dermot Weld will be anxious for the going to dry out ahead of the CL Weld Park Stakes, the race named to commemorate his father, as the wide-margin Galway winner Rare Ransom has been running on soft ground for her last two starts.
Perihelion drops back from Group company to the Irish Cesarewitch after finishing second to Allegretto at Doncaster and can make the most of the class drop.
