Aidan O'Brien: runs three in Saturday's Criterium de Saint-Cloud
PICTURE: Edward Whitaker/racingpostpix.comO'Brien bids to end the season on a high
Preview: France, Saturday (1.35pm BST)
Saint-Cloud: Criterium de Saint-Cloud (Group 1) 1m2f, 2yo colts and fillies
BALLYDOYLE'S two-year-olds have been sweeping all before them this autumn and Don Carlos spearheads trainer Aidan O'Brien's attempt to add this Group 1 prize to the stable's wins in the Dewhurst, Racing Post Trophy and Criterium International.
Johnny Murtagh partnered Fame And Glory to win this race for O'Brien last year and is aboard Don Carlos who began his racing career last month with a third-place at Cork, before going on to win a maiden at The Curragh.
Stablemate Mikhail Glinka appears to have more in the form book and has already proved he can act on heavy going by hacking up in the Listed Eyrefield Stakes at Leopardstown where O'Brien's third runner Banyan Tree was seven and a half lengths away in fourth.
The form horse in this 1m2f event is the Mark Johnston-trained Layali Al Andalus who was runner-up to St Nicholas Abbey in the Group 2 Juddmonte Beresford Stakes at the Curragh where Godolphin's Passion For Gold was third.
They clash again, while Godolphin's hand is strengthened by the presence of the unbeaten Simon de Montfort, trained in France by Andre Fabre, who has won both his races in style.
The Freddie Head-trained Kaage steps up from a win in a 1m1f apprentice race at Compiegne while Andrew Balding has selected the Criterium for his recent Newbury winner, Gardening Leave.
The field of nine is completed by German juvenile Zazou who was a respectable fourth in a Group 3 race at Baden-Baden behind the Pat Eddery-trained Hearts Of Fire.
What they say
Jock Bennett, travelling head lad to Mark Johnston, trainer of Layali Al Andalus
"He goes there with a good chance - the form of the Beresford Stakes is looking very good now as he was second to St Nicholas Abbey. We are not quite sure about the ground but if he handles it he should be thereabouts."
Andrew Balding, trainer of Gardening Leave
"He won his maiden really well and has come on a lot in the last couple of months. It is a massive jump in class but he will like the ground and appreciate the extra distance. He will need to step up a lot to be in the first three."
Aidan O'Brien, trainer of Don Carlos, Banyan Tree and Mikhail Glinka
"Don Carlios is ahorse that we always liked and has progressed a lot from his first run to his second. If he continues to progress the way we think he should he could be a very nice horse. We thought Banyan Tree would run better than he did behind Mikhail Glinka at Leopardstown.. We have always likedMikhail Glinka a lot as well. He ran at Ascot in the Royal Lodge and Johnny went down the inside and Colm went down the outside (on Joshua Tree). Colm got the clear run and Johnny ran into traffic so he is much better than that run. His next run he went to Leopardstown and had a good race and handled the heavy ground well."
Simon Crisford, racing manager to Godolphin, owners of Passion For Gold and Simon de Montfort
"Passion For Gold ran really well behind St Nicholas Abbey in Ireland last time but was no match for the winner. The colt still has plenty to prove and this race is late in the year. We will know more about him after this outing. Simon de Montfort has a clear record but this is a big step up in class."
Mario Hofer, trainer of Zazou
"The horse is in excellent shape and working very well at home. I expect him to be in the money and the heavy ground will be no problem."
Freddy Head, trainer of Kaage
"Kaage is an improving horse who will like the testing ground and the distance. He did it very well at Compiegne last time and I am expecting a good performance from the colt."
