wouldnt go steaming onto furners green at a short price. looking at the ballydoyle 3yo pecking order, there look to be a good few above him in it so dont think he'll prove top class. wont have to be to win this, but often o'brien's horses need their first run of the season - wouldn't have been as much of a factor had it been in three weeks time, as the coolmore machine doesnt usually get out of first gear til after easter. the third negative for me is joseph o'brien, which i may get a bit of flack for as he has already won a few races at the highest level, while still learning his trade, but when he cocks one up he does it in great style.
should win but would have to be braver than me to take odds on.
just a shame coolmore havent properly replaced johnny murtagh, think their group one horses would've fared a little bit better last year had he still been riding. not just on the track, but he has a wealth of experience off it too, o'brien seemed to get it right a lot more when murtagh was there, never really heard him with excuses such as he hadn't trained the horse properly or had went too easy etc, maybe murtagh wasnt the yes man that some of the others are and spoke up during preparation?
will be interesting to see how graham lee fares on the flat, didnt back him often but will never forget his ride on kalahari king in the maghull a few years ago - won me a good few quid that day taking on the overrated tatenen. shame he never really kicked on from a near miss in the arkle and winning the maghull, third in a champion chase and close second in the ryanair as close as he's came to a top race win.
