War Command winning at the Curragh© Photo Healy Racing
Just a dozen days now until a 2,000 Guineas being billed as the best in a long time, an Australia V Kingman showdown, with Toormore slugging it out there too in a plucky third-wheel kind of way. Then there’s Kingston Hill and even the Spaniard Noozhoh Canaries as potential exotics: all of which means that perhaps the best option of all continues to be mostly ignored - War Command.
Ante-post stuff doesn’t float everyone’s boat but surely the snippets of 14-1 floating around about War Command should be snapped up.
This is a Dewhurst winner we’re talking about here, a colt that also won a Coventry by six lengths. Yes an argument can be made that he hasn’t actually beaten much in his four wins - although the Dewhurst third Outstrip did win at the Breeders Cup - but for a race often labelled the last two year old race, War Command does possess a formidable profile.
Of course he has spent the winter under the shadow of Australia and Aidan O’Brien’s rave reviews but those familiar with deciphering Ballydoyle smoke-signals have noted with interest how initial plans to divert War Command to Longchamp and leaving Australia with a clear pitch at Newmarket have been discreetly shelved.
Now Australia might well wind up the new equine second-coming he has been hyped up as but it’s only prudent to point out how despite having won the Guineas half a dozen times already, O’Brien has also sent over hugely-hyped superstars that have flopped – One Cool Cat, anyone? St Nicholas Abbey?
And it’s not like it is unknown for a Ballydoyle second-string to come out on top in the Guineas. Rock Of Gibraltar did after all beat Hawk Wing.
But most of all there’s the gnawing doubt that so much of the case for Australia comes down to hype. Only a fool dismisses the vibes emanating from Ballydoyle but only the blind can ignore how we have been here before. And what we are being led to expect is that a colt which is a product of a dual-Derby winner and a double-Oaks heroine is possessed of the raw speed needed for the Rowley Mile in May.
Australia may have it. Camelot after all was in a similar boat pre-Newmarket, although it has to be said he was helped by a notable lack of quality opposition. But from a punting point of view, wariness still looks a sound policy with the Ballydoyle No.1. Concerns about Kingman in the dip on fast ground continue to look valid and admirable as Toormore undoubtedly is his pedigree hardly screams classic winner.
War Command has pedigree, raw six furlong Royal Ascot speed and a proven Group 1 record on the track. Plus he’s also been given a subtle but significant switch to the most prestigious Guineas of all. At double-figure odds, right now that looks a lot more tempting a proposition than Australia.
Talking of ante-post, it’s interesting how Punchestown’s Champion Hurdle is turning into an effective match prospect between Jezki and Hurricane Fly. Even more interesting is how Jezki is odds-on in the betting and the Fly is 6-4. Everyone’s entitled to their opinion of course but if it was evens the pair, it would be a cue to steam into the old champ. The fact Hurricane Fly is odds against is surely a golden opportunity.
This space has been a big Jezki fan all along and leaving him go at Cheltenham un-backed and un-wanted is a mistake that has resulted in much head-slapping since. The horse is a topper and watching him and Barry Geraghty win the Champion was an education. But here’s the thing: everything went right when it mattered most a month ago. Asking for that twice in a row is asking a lot. And the likelihood is Geraghty won’t be in the plate at Punchestown.
As for Hurricane Fly, he has never shown his best at Cheltenham; never. In fact an argument can be made that what he did there a month ago stacks up pretty much the same in form terms as what he has done at the festival before. But Punchestown has always been a different story. Bookmakers appear to view Hurricane Fly as a busted flush. That could cost them.
It was interesting to note Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney’s comments that legislation for Irish racing’s new governance model is all ready to be implemented. Implicit in that is the suggestion that agreement has been reached between all the relevant parties: except such agreement appears to be news to plenty in the Turf Club.
The idea that there’s agreement on the issue of the regulatory body’s independent funding sources had plenty members laughing over the weekend. It even provoked incredulity at any idea the Minister might go off on a unilateral solo in terms of going ahead on legislation without having everyone on board.
Except waiting for everyone to climb aboard on this issue might entail waiting a very long time indeed: and those in the know suggest Coveney is a Minister in a hurry.
And finally in terms of self-inflicted injury, the reported decision of the Cork directors to instruct the management to water the track, and not tell the clerk of the course, is a little doozy. Those of us able to remember the real hit-and-hope stuff when it came to ground description had thought the bad old days had gone. But apparently not.
