Beresford Stakes: Warrior ready for battle

The Group 2 Beresford Stakes is the feature race on a card that has been switched to Naas due to the Curragh’s redevelopment, and is one of four pattern races at the County Kildare venue on Sunday. In what could almost be a copy and paste job from previous previews of the leading two-year-old races in Ireland, the Beresford has been dominated by Aidan O’Brien over the past two decades – he is chasing a 17th win, hot on the heels of last year’s victory with the subsequent Irish Derby and St Leger winner Capri. Although this year’s Beresford winner is likely to be propelled up the ante-post market for the classics (as well as getting a golden ticket to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf), it’s worth noting that none of O’Brien’s 16 have gone on to Epsom glory, with only the John Oxx-trained Sea The Stars doing the double.

With three of the five-strong field representing him, a lot of the focus will be on O’Brien once more, however only 2 lb separates four of the quintet on Timeform ratings, with the other horse having a ‘large P’ attached to his figure. That horse is Saxon Warrior, who looked an excellent prospect when winning a 14-runner maiden at the Curragh by three and a quarter lengths from Meagher's Flag. Making his debut, Saxon Warrior was forced wide around two furlongs out but was still well on top at the finish after finding plenty, looking destined for much better things in the process. Delano Roosevelt stayed on powerfully to lead on the line when winning on debut at Leopardstown, but was too immature when filling the final leg of a Nelson-led O’Brien 1-2-3 in a Group 3 back there earlier this month, where he was off the bridle by halfway, and it was all too late by the time he gathered any momentum. His strength in the betting said plenty there, though, and he’s hardly one to write off just yet. In the same race, stablemate Kew Gardens, despite being sent off a much bigger price, was three quarters of a length ahead of Delano Roosevelt, but looked something of an awkward ride having lost his place at halfway. Riyazan was fourth in the same race, and deserves plenty of credit having been parked wide from stall 10 but giving chase to Nelson when others couldn't. He was in second a furlong out, but was run out of the placings by a later-coming pair; there's more improvement in him. The field is completed by the Brendan Duke-trained Warm The Voice. Duke worked as assistant to Jim Bolger for 20 years, and Warm The Voice, owned by Jim’s wife Jackie, has progressed with each start, winning a maiden at Galway in August, a nursery at the Curragh later that month, before completing his hat-trick in a similar event at Listowel last time. He’s open to further progress, but this demands a bit more.

Recent Leopardstown winner Eziyra won the C. L. Weld Park Stakes last year for Dermot Weld and Pat Smullen, and the pair are represented once more in this year’s renewal with Fille du Septembre. She was only sixth to Clemmie in a Group 3 at the Curragh when last seen in July but still confirmed her debut promise, and she looks a leading contender here, along with the Charlie Hills-trained Juliet Foxtrot, an emphatic seven-length winner at Goodwood last time. Mary Tudor, who showed much improved form when a never-nearer two and a half lengths third behind subsequent Moyglare 1-2 Happily and Magical in the Debutante Stakes, May Hill fourth Sizzling, and Ball Girl, who was third in the Round Tower Stakes last month, are others to consider.

Elsewhere on the card, there’s a small turnout for the Group 3 Loughbrown Stakes, where Renneti is expected to appreciate both the step back up in trip and not having to concede plenty of weight in a handicap; he should see off the useful Stars Over The Sea. The Renaissance Stakes is more competitive in terms of numbers, however Quiet Reflection is the clear one to beat if able to reproduce the pick of her form. She hasn’t been seen since a lacklustre run in the Temple Stakes in May, but that was over five furlongs and last year’s Commonwealth and Sprint Cup winner should relish the return to her optimum trip here. Downforce, who suffered a narrow defeat at York a fortnight ago, and Cougar Mountain, look the pick of her rivals, but this looks a good opportunity for the Karl Burke-trained filly to bounce back to form.