Seven last-time-out winners make up a quality field for the Nijinsky Stakes

5.45 Leopardstown
Nijinsky Stakes | 1m4f | Listed | 3yo | RTV

A quality running of this Listed race with all seven runners successful on their most recent outings and the likely favourite already boasting a mark of 106 having won a Group 3 on his final start as a juvenile.

That likely favourite is Degraves, one of three runners for Joseph O'Brien. Shane Crosse kicked for home early in the Eyrefield Stakes at Leopardstown back in October and just about had enough in the tank to fend off the late surge of Persia.

The form was franked next time at Chelmsford when Persia beat stablemate Cormorant, who has already won the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial this season. It certainly looks like Degraves warrants his rating of 106 on all known form, but others have a fitness edge as this will be his first outing for 264 days.

Galileo Chrome might only have won a maiden last month, but he was supposed to run in the Irish Derby before being taken out at the eleventh hour. That suggests there is more to come.

Galileo Chrome (centre) wins his maiden at the CurraghCredit: Patrick McCann

Hy Brasil completes the Joseph O'Brien challenge and, while he was a 20-1 winner of a Navan maiden, the form of that has worked out well. He is likely to be the biggest price of the stable trio but is by no means without hope.

Aidan O'Brien has landed this Listed prize twice in the last four years with Giuseppe Garibaldi (2018) and The Major General (2016) and Delphi comes into this year's race on the back of a gutsy win in a valuable 1m2f handicap at Navan.

He appears to be crying out for this sort of trip, as does Numen. He was first off the bridle when winning his maiden and hit the line hard. These extra two furlongs will be right up his street.

Dermot Weld, who won the race last year with Rakan, is represented by Roscommon maiden winner Zenya.

The Jessica Harrington-trained Aunt Bee completes the line-up but, with an official rating of 87, she will need to make significant progress from her Curragh maiden win.

The most fascinating runner of all is Galileo Chrome, who is expected to take a big leap forward from his maiden success and could make it two wins from three starts. He could be a decent price too.

What they say

Joseph O'Brien, trainer of Degraves, Galileo Chrome and Hy Brasil
It's a hot race. Degraves is having his first run back after a lay-off, but seems in good shape and if he gets this longer trip he should run well. Galileo Chrome was due to run in the Irish Derby, but we took him out at the last minute. This race looks a good fit for him and we think the course and the trip will suit him. He was a big price, but it wasn't a complete shock Hy Brazil won at Navan. The form of that maiden is working out well and he won it impressively. He's a nice staying horse with a lovely future ahead.

Jessica Harrington: trainer of Aunt BeeCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Aidan O'Brien, trainer of Delphi and Numen
Delphi won a handicap nicely at Navan, and we always thought stepping him up to a mile and a half would bring out the best in him. Numen wasn't stopping at the end of his maiden win at Leopardstown either. That was over a mile and a quarter and we think this sort of trip will really suit him.

Jessica Harrington, trainer of Aunt Bee
She was due to run in a fillies' race at Killarney the other night but we took her out because of the ground. She ideally wants top of the ground and we'll hopefully get that at Leopardstown. This is a tough ask for her, but she will learn a lot from it.

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