Twain has been a springer in the Betfred 2000 Guineas market for Aidan O’Brien following the news that stablemate and previous ante-post favourite The Lion In Winter may not make the Newmarket Classic.
Along with Dewhurst runner-up Expanded, Twain was a late bloomer last season, with both not making their debuts until October and then just a few days later proving their worth at the highest level.
While Expanded had to settle for second in the Dewhurst, Twain won the Criterium International in France and both colts have pleased O’Brien in the interim, although Expanded was put forward as a possible candidate for the Irish Guineas.
“What Twain and Expanded did last year was quite unusual,” said O’Brien. “They both came out late, then a few days later were back out in Group Ones.
“They were massive runs from both of them, really. Twain won in France and Expanded just got beat in the Dewhurst.
“Poor Expanded got a bit of a raw deal, as he was going in the Dewhurst for experience as a second string behind The Lion In Winter but then The Lion In Winter didn’t run and he got put in the front line, so that was massive.
“I’m very happy with Twain, physically he’s done very well. Good ground will be fine for him. Ryan (Moore) said he rode very green in the Group One and still won very nicely, so we’re thinking he could start in the Guineas.
“Twain has the pedigree and the physique, what he did last year…we were only giving him a run at Leopardstown to get him out and get a look but he won easily in bad ground.
“In France, it was the first time he’d followed horses but he won well again in bad ground and I think he’s a nice-ground horse. As he has a strong Galileo pedigree, I was probably not trying to focus on him too early.
“If we were dividing them up, Expanded could go to the Curragh for the Tetrarch Stakes on the way to the Irish Guineas and Twain could go to the English Guineas.
“That’s the way we’re thinking; all those things can change, but at the moment that is what could happen.”
Other possibles for the 2000 Guineas include Henri Matisse, a winner at the Breeders’ Cup on his first run over a mile, and Camille Pissarro, winner of the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere.
“Henri Matisse is very well. He’s a fast horse, he likes fast ground and likes to come late,” said O’Brien.
“What happened last year was we put blinkers on him on bad ground in France, he got a bump and got frightened early. Then he won very well in America.
“He’s a very good mover, so I’d say we wouldn’t be keen to go on soft ground with him again.
“Camille Pissarro we always thought was very good but I’d say we got it wrong with him, as he didn’t win a Group One until the very end.
“He’s a fast horse, we think a mile is as far as he’ll want to go and he’d have to be ridden to get a mile. He’s a possible for the Guineas, he could be a second string or something like that.”
Other three-year-old colts O’Brien mentioned included Whistlejacket, who has the Commonwealth Cup as his main aim in the first half of the season, and Delacroix, who will go down the Derby route.
As for his extensive team of fillies, one may need to step up, with O’Brien revealing Lake Victoria faces a race against time to get to Newmarket.
That is MAGIC from Ryan Moore to get Fairy Godmother to win the Albany Stakes at Royal @Ascot! pic.twitter.com/yFSRxGa8kH
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 21, 2024
Royal Ascot winner Fairy Godmother could be the one, though.
“She is very good, she was away at the Curragh last weekend and I’m very happy with her. She did an unusual thing in Ascot,” said O’Brien.
“She worked over seven furlongs at the Curragh on soft ground and she got it very well. It’s very possible she could go to the Guineas without a run.”
Bedtime Story was another juvenile Royal Ascot winner last year for the yard.
“She’s good, she’s a little bit highly strung like her sister, Content, trying to do too much. I would imagine where she runs, she’ll run as a second or third string, when there’ll be no pressure on her and whoever rides her will try to switch her off,” said O’Brien.
Exactly is another possible for the 1000 Guineas, while O’Brien’s Oaks team also has strength in depth.
“Giselle’s a good filly, she had a few little hold-ups but she’s back and was away at the Curragh and we’re looking at her as an Oaks filly, with a trial before.
“Dreamy is an Oaks filly too. She’s not quick enough for a Guineas but she’s an Oaks filly. That’s why we ran her in the Fillies’ Mile, to see. She’ll enjoy going a mile and a half, she’s a lovely big filly who has done very well. Ballet Slippers is another we’ll train for the Oaks.”
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