Aidan O'Brien's dominance of two year-old Group races this season has been almost total, but although he sends a team of four for this afternoon's Bord Gais Killavullan Stakes at Leopardstown, there could still be a rare O'Brien reverse, courtesy of John Oxx's Takarian.
The Curragh trainer is hardly poorly represented himself with three, but the presence of stable jockey John Murtagh on Takarian's back only reinforces the impression that this is the colt with the most scope for improvement.
Takarian followed up a narrow debut win at Tralee with a sixth of eight to King Of Kings in the National Stakes at the Curragh, but he wasn't beaten far after racing at the rear of the field for much of the contest. In spite of that, he still finished ahead of his stable companion, Natalis, who is no bad yardstick, judged on his Futurity third to Impressionist.
Of the O'Brien quartet, the very well-bred Bianconi looks the danger. He was caught in the closing stages on his debut by Strike Hard at the Curragh, the winner being, significantly, trained by Oxx. After winning at Tipperary, the 10-furlong Criterium de St Cloud was mentioned as a possible target for another O'Brien colt, Chateau Royal, which, allied to that victory in energy-sapping ground, indicates that stamina could be his strong point.
The ground will be quite decent this afternoon and Takarian can use that factor to outkick Chateau Royal and Bianconi in the closing stages.
It could turn out to be a very good day for the Oxx-Murtagh team, as Renge looks the one in the Netsaver Handicap; and in the Listed Trigo Stakes, Orianne would have a major chance against some less than inspiring opposition.
Looking to the winter, the most significant contest looks to be the October Handicap Hurdle, which features last season's top fouryear-olds Commanche Court and Grimes. Their peak will surely be reached later in the year, though, and it's hard to get away from Bolino Star, cantering behind Istabraq at the turn in at Tipperary last time, as today's likely winner.
Another horse who ran at Tipperary, and was substantially backed to win, is the good pointto-point winner, Boardroom Coup. He floundered in the deep ground that day and looks worth another chance in the bumper. Aidan O'Brien will hardly leave the track winnerless and Star Begonia, second despite running green at Gowran, could be the one in the opener.
