Atzeni out to maintain 100 per cent record in Ireland this season

7.10 Leopardstown
Invesco Pension Consultants Desmond Stakes (Group 3) | 1m, 3yo+ | ATR

Andrea Atzeni will be attempting to make it three wins from three rides in Ireland this year when he partners Morando for Roger Varian.

Successful on Decorated Knight in the Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh in May and on Nezwaah for Varian in the Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes last month, Atzeni will be partnering Morando – the winner of four of his six starts – for the first time.

The four-year-old won a Listed event at Windsor on his most recent start last month, and Varian said: "Morando is a progressive individual and his form stacks up well. The course should suit and he won't mind ease in the ground. This looked a logical option and I hope he can run a huge race."

Joining Morando in a two-pronged British challenge is the multiple Group and Listed winner Custom Cut, who will be having the 63rd start of his career.

Three of the David O'Meara-trained eight-year-old's 13 wins have been achieved over course and distance, including a victory in this event three years ago.

O'Brien keeps Music playing

Aidan O'Brien has kept Music Box busy through the season and the three-time winner will be making her 14th appearance of the year.

She will be stepping up in trip following her win in the Listed Corrib Stakes over 7f at the Galway festival two weeks ago.

O'Brien said: "Music Box has been taking her racing very well and we think she could still be progressing. She won't mind the easy ground and, having won over the stiff seven at Galway last time, we think she should be able to handle the mile around Leopardstown."

Easier task for Intricately

Intricately, who provided Joseph O'Brien with Group 1 success in the Moyglare Stud Stakes last year in his first season as a trainer, drops down in grade following four consecutive runs in Group 1 company over different distances.

She will be reverting to a mile for the first time since finishing fourth in the Irish 1,000 Guineas in May, and her trainer said: "Intricately has been in good form at home. We're happy with her and we think that going back to a mile will suit her."

Stack doubly represented

Fozzy Stack is represented by the lightly-raced Alexios Komnenos, who ran Churchill to a neck in the Tyros Stakes on his second and final start last year, and Diamond Fields, who was twice placed at Grade 2 level in the US in 2016 and who landed the Group 3 Gladness Stakes at Naas in April.

Alexios Komnenos, who picked up an injury and missed the second half of last season, finished third in the Listed Celebration Stakes at the Curragh on his reappearance last month.

Stack said: "Alexios Komnenos came out of his Curragh run well and seems in good form. Diamond Fields disappointed in the Athasi Stakes after her Gladness win. She's coming back from a break and how she gets on will tell us whether the Matron Stakes might be an option."

The Johnny Murtagh-trained True Valour and Sea Wolf, who represents Ger Lyons, finished in front of Alexios Komnenos when first and second respectively in the Celebration Stakes.

The Jim Bolger-trained Flight Risk, a dual Group 3 winner over 7f and who ran fourth in the Celebration Stakes, completes the line-up.

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