ONE COOL CAT NEW GUINEAS FAVOURITE

One Cool Cat swept to the head of the 2,000 Guineas ante-post market after providing trainer Aidan O?Brien with his sixth successive winner of the Independent Waterford Wedgewood Phoenix Stakes, the highlight of a four-timer at the Curragh for the Ballydoyle yard and Michael Kinane.

The Storm Cat juvenile was patiently-ridden by Kinane, leading inside the final furlong to beat stable-companion Old Deuteronomy by a length. Three Valleys (4/6 fav) mystified connections when finding nothing under pressure a furlong out, and weakened to finish a further three lengths back in third.

?He is a unique horse in that he is really crying out for seven furlongs or a mile. He?s so relaxed and the way he moves in the middle of work at home would knock you dead,? said O?Brien. ?Old Deuteronomy didn?t handle the soft ground at Goodwood, and must have it fast,? he added.

One Cool Cat is as low as 4/1 with Ladbrokes for the 2,000 Guineas, although Cashmans offer 7/1 (from 10?s).

High Chapparal, sidelined with a shoulder muscle injury, finally got his season underway by landing the Group 2 Royal Whip Stakes in good style. The 9/10 favourite appeared to hang momentarily a furlong out before quickening up well under Kinane to beat Imperial Dancer by three-quarters of a length with In Time?s Eye a neck away in third.

O?Brien confessed to being a relieved man afterwards and said ?We left him off after he got the shoulder injury in the spring, and a canter here after racing at the Oaks meeting was the first time he did any work. He will go next for either the Irish Champion Stakes or a race in France around the same time, and we will think about the Arc after that.?

Necklace (5/2-7/4fav) completed a Group race treble for O´Brien and Kinane when produced between horses inside the final furlong to beat Caldy Dancer by a length in the Debutante Stakes. ´She did well for a Darshaan on her debut over six furlongs, and will come back here for the Moyglare,´ said O´Brien.

The four-timer was initiated when Troubadour belied a lack of market confidence to make an impressive debut in the two-year-old maiden. Robert Sangster?s Danehill colt drew right away in the final furlong to beat the odds-on Ulfah by three and a half lengths, and O?Brien said ?He?s a lovely big horse, and we won?t overdo him this year.?

The Phoenix Sprint Stakes went for export with the Richard Hannon-trained Bonus making all to score by a length and a half from a group of horses headed by Sun Slash. ?The penny has suddenly dropped this year and he?s improved about two stone. He may just have one more this season in the Haydock Sprint Cup,? said owners representative Harry Herbert.