PartialLogo
Previews

So Wonderful heads O'Brien team as trainer eyes full set of Irish Group races

Aidan O'Brien: saddles three in the Group 3 feature at Cork on Sunday
Aidan O'Brien: saddles three in the Group 3 feature at Cork on SundayCredit: Patrick McCann

5.45 Cork
Irish Stallion Farms EBF Brownstown Stakes (Group 3)| 7f | 3yo+ fillies | RTE2 & RTV

Aidan O'Brien is triple-handed in his bid to complete a full set of Ireland's Group races in the rescheduled Brownstown Stakes, with So Wonderful – one of the highest-rated maidens in training – leading the line for Ballydoyle.

The race, usually held at Fairyhouse, was elevated to Group 3 status in 2003 and is the only Group race in the current Irish programme book missing from O'Brien's CV.

The stable's apparent number one, set to be ridden by Wayne Lordan, was third in last year's Moyglare Stud Stakes and this year's Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas, but she failed to fire when down the field in Group 3 company at Leopardstown 11 days ago.

So Wonderful (blue hat) finished an excellent third in the Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas
So Wonderful (blue hat) finished an excellent third in the Tattersalls Irish 1,000 GuineasCredit: Patrick McCann

Rated 106, she has leading claims if bouncing back from that below-par effort, although Ger Lyons's Soul Search rates a major danger if at her best, having not had an entirely clear run in the Ballycorus Stakes last weekend.

The Paddy Twomey-trained Silk Forest was an impressive winner of the Listed Garnet Stakes at Naas last season and gave the impression she'd come on a fair deal for her comeback third in the Group 2 Lanwades Stud Stakes.

We didn't see the best of the promising Valeria Messalina when looking to get a little tired on her Irish Guineas return, but there's every chance she will prove up to competing at Group level over the course of the season.

Fozzy Stack has his string in outstanding order and his two-pronged attack of Lady Wannabe and Lynn Britt Cabin should see him in the thick of things at the business end, with the latter appealing as one who should have plenty of improvement in her.

Valeria Messalina: smart three-year-old filly should improve from her Curragh comeback run
Valeria Messalina: smart three-year-old filly should improve from her Curragh comeback runCredit: Patrick McCann

What they say

Fozzy Stack, trainer of Lady Wannabe and Lynn Britt Cabin
I'd imagine it was a tough choice for Chris [Hayes] because both fillies were a bit unlucky on their last starts at the Curragh. Lady Wannabe would have finished clear if she didn't get a bump and Lynn Britt Cabin didn't have luck in running either. Hopefully they'll get clearer runs and we'll see what happens. The drop back to seven furlongs doesn't bother me for Lynn Britt Cabin but it mightn't suit Lady Wannabe so well.

Aidan O'Brien, trainer of So Wonderful, Precious Moments and Eden Quay
The better the ground the better it will be for So Wonderful. She seems to be in good form and we're hoping she can leave her last run behind and return to her previous form. Precious Moments had a good run over seven furlongs in a Guineas trial at Leopardstown and hopefully she can produce that sort of run back over that trip now. Eden Quay ran very well the last day at Fairyhouse and looks to be improving.

Paddy Twomey on Silk Forest: 'We think this is a suitable race for her and she'll have come forward plenty for her first run of the season at the Curragh'
Paddy Twomey on Silk Forest: 'We think this is a suitable race for her and she'll have come forward plenty for her first run of the season at the Curragh'Credit: Patrick McCann
Paddy Twomey, trainer of Silk Forest
We think this is a suitable race for her and she'll have come forward plenty for her first run of the season at the Curragh. The ground was on the quick side then and I think she'll appreciate the good ground now. She's only had five runs in her life and hopefully she should be open to improvement.

Read exclusive previews from 6pm daily on racingpost.com and the Racing Post mobile app


Mark BoylanReporter

Published on 11 July 2020inPreviews

Last updated 16:56, 11 July 2020

iconCopy