The first Anglo/Irish clash of consequence involving the Classic generation and older horses will take place at the Curragh tomorrow afternoon when a field of seven, two of them trained in England, line up for the Gladness Stakes, run under the sponsorship of Dr and Mrs A J O'Reilly's Castlemartin and La Louviere Studs.
Aidan O'Brien has always held a high opinion of Black Rock Desert and before he ever set foot on a racecourse he was backed at long odds for the 2,000 Guineas. His subsequent maiden race win was achieved with great ease.
His contemporary Rolo Tomasi, unlikely to stay much beyond seven furlongs, came early to hand at two and acquitted himself well subsequently scoring a runaway success in the Goffs Challenge Stakes and later being an unlucky loser to Immovable Option in the Blenheim Stakes.
Ben Hanbury has a good strike rate from his Irish raids and Ramooz on his final 1998 visit beat Two-Twenty-Two convincingly in a Group Three Curragh race.
If Black Rock Desert wins this nicely he will be high on the stable short list for Newmarket.
Jim Bolger's horses are in good shape and I nap Castle Quest (5.30) as she steps up in distance. She finished strongly when fourth to Tarfaa, Stravinsky and River Canyon over seven furlongs here on Lincolnshire Day.
