It was only day one of a very long year but Monashee Mountain indicated at the Curragh yesterday he may continue to illuminate the upcoming flat season in the very highest company.
Aidan O'Brien's unbeaten Danzig colt gave 7lb and a half length beating to Jammaal in the Loughbrown Stakes and that was enough to see Monashee Mountain cut to 12 to 1 by Cashmans for the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket on May 6th.
Whether Monashee Mountain is allowed to run at Newmarket, not an irrelevant question with Giants Causeway, Bernstein and the rest waiting to be released by Ballydoyle, is not certain. Nor is his ability to truly stay a mile, but there is no questioning the high opinion his connections have of him.
"He has that burst of speed that makes them different," O'Brien said. "He has loads of speed, fierce speed, but you don't get seven furlongs in the heavy without staying either."
Michael Kinane's summation of the performance reflected just as creditably on Monashee Mountain. "Quickened well, he's a classic horse," the champion jockey reported and it was hard to disagree with him.
The Curragh ground was officially changed to soft after the first race, and Monashee Mountain raced keenly enough in the early stages, a combination that did for Stravinsky in this race last year.
Monashee Mountain seems to be made of stouter stuff, however, and when the National Stakes third, Jammaal, quickened from the front at the two pole, Kinane was able to cover the move. The colt then showed a touch of brilliance to quicken past and leave the unmistakable impression of more to come.
"He'll go for one of the Guineas," O'Brien confirmed later, while hinting that stamina is not a major worry for him. "He was giving 7lb and the other horse got first run," said O'Brien. "I know he's by Danzig and has a lot of speed but I'm hopeful he'll stay."
Jammaal's trainer Dermot Weld seemed more impressed than anybody with Monashee Mountain and declared: "My horse is very decent and good trial tackle but Monashee Mountain has impressed me no end. With him, I would go with confidence to Newmarket."
Kinane and O'Brien also took the seasonal opener with Modigliani, but nobody will have relished Lincolnshire day more than Shane Kelly, who won the first big handicap of the season for the second time in three years, this time on Thats Logic.
In 1998, Kelly won the Lincoln on Tarry Flynn, a prelude to a season where he became champion apprentice, but this could arguably mean more after a fall early last year meant Kelly missed most of the 1999 season.
"The horse deserved a big handicap, having been runner-up in two McDonoghs," said the winner's trainer Donie Hassett.
Legal Jousting, a huge gamble down to 4 to 7 for the mile maiden, will be trained for the Irish 2,000 Guineas by Dermot Weld after easily beating 25 opponents yesterday.
"He has been working like a Group horse and will continue to mature. He'll run in the classic trial at Leopardstown or the Tetrarch," said Weld.
Weld's fellow Curragh trainer Jim Gorman is experiencing the benefits of a fine 1999 and has seen his string increase by 50 per cent to 30 for this season. Last year, Gorman won the first race of the year but this time waited half an hour for his first of the term when Mick Kinane brought Castanetta late and fast to win the Madrid Handicap.
"I was afraid she wouldn't get home in the ground and Michael to wait and wait," Gorman grinned. "It's great to get the first winner and we know where we stand with the others now."
