Diego Velazquez negotiated a wide route to return to winning form in the Meld Stakes at Leopardstown.
Aidan O’Brien’s charge was a Group Two winner last term and has been highly tried this year, finishing fourth in the French 2000 Guineas, eighth in the French Derby and then a distant 10th in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Dropped back to Group Three company and racing over nine furlongs, Diego Velazquez was sent off the 8-11 favourite in the hands of Ryan Moore and travelled well enough before getting pushing a little wide on the turn for home.
Racing up the the middle of the straight, Diego Velazquez had no immediate company but he firmly stamped his authority, coming home a seven-length winner over Tarawa.
Paddy Power make the Frankel colt a 16-1 chance from 40s for the Irish Champion Stakes, but O’Brien has an international target on his mind.
He said: “He ran a lovely race in the French Guineas and then we went to the French Derby with him, Ryan just said maybe over a mile and a quarter we rode him too forward and the pace of the race didn’t work out for him.
“We went to Ascot over a mile and a half and we felt very much coming from Ascot that he’s not a mile-and-a-half horse.
“He’s made like a miler so he’s probably an eight, nine or 10-furlong horse. He loved the ground.
“We ran him back quick because we wanted to know where to go with him in the autumn. Ryan said he has all the class in the world and all the speed in the world.
“He could be a Cox Plate horse and we’ll see what we do in between with him. He’s definitely not short of pace.
“We’re delighted with him. He has a lot of options and at least we know now what to do in the autumn. We’ll give him a little bit of time now.”
https://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/a96aa1b4-b0fe-43de-855c-7bcec36a576e-scaled.jpg12802560Geegeez Newshttps://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/geegeez_banner_new_170x78.pngGeegeez News2024-07-18 18:21:092024-07-18 18:21:09Diego Velazquez roars back to form in Meld Stakes
Diego Velazquez is Aidan O’Brien’s chief hope of winning a second Qatar Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly on Sunday.
Impressive in his first two juvenile starts, the Frankel colt disappointed on his final appearance at two in the Futurity Trophy at Doncaster, but his trainer is happy to “put a line through” that run as he feels he became upset by his unruly stablemate Battle Cry, who was ultimately withdrawn.
The Ballydoyle handler, who broke his French Derby duck with St Mark’s Basilica in 2021, believes Diego Velazquez is better judged on his comeback run at ParisLongchamp, where he was beaten just a length into fourth place in the French 2000 Guineas, teeing him up perfectly for a second French Classic tilt this weekend.
“That’s what we thought, our other horse got upset. He had to be taken out and obviously Diego was left in the race, and he got upset as well,” O’Brien said of his Doncaster effort in a France Galop media call on Tuesday.
“We just felt that being left in the stalls, we should have probably withdrew him. The ground was very soft as well that day. We kind of put a line through it.
“We were very happy with the run in the French Guineas. We always thought he would run a very nice race and we always thought the step up to mile and a quarter would suit him well. We were delighted to go to Longchamp because it is obviously right-handed like Chantilly.
“We felt these two races would suit him well and we were very happy with the way he came out of the French Guineas and happy with everything he has done since.”
With Diego Velazquez having failed to fire in the mud at Doncaster, O’Brien is hoping there is not too much rain at Chantilly ahead of his latest big-race test.
He added: “Obviously he is a very good mover so the better the ground, the better it would suit him.
“We thought he would probably want good, fast ground as you can see when you see him gallop he has a very low, long action.
“Hopefully the ground won’t be soft and will improve (before Sunday). Definitely the better the ground, the better his chance.”
Diego Velazquez is set to be joined by stablemate Cambridge, who so far this season has finished fourth in both the Craven Stakes at Newmarket and the Dante at York.
“Cambridge is a solid horse. Hopefully he can get a mile and quarter very well and he will handle an ease in the ground,” said O’Brien.
“We always thought he was a solid Group horse. Obviously our number one horse would be Diego Velazquez and Cambridge will be number two. He’s a very solid and straightforward horse really.
“He has a different action to Diego, he bends his knee a little bit. He might not be as quick as Diego, but he will definitely handle the soft ground a little bit better.”
Saturday’s Kameko Futurity Trophy will evoke memories of yesteryear with Godolphin and Coolmore going head-to-head in the final Group One of the season, through Ancient Wisdom and Diego Velazquez.
The late 1990s and early 2000s saw endless clashes between the two superpowers, which arguably peaked in the summer of 2001 when Galileo and Fantastic Light served up two treats in the King George and Irish Champion Stakes, winning one each.
Godolphin paid €2,000,000 for Dubawi colt Ancient Wisdom, while Coolmore went to 2,400,000 guineas for Diego Velazquez
It cost connections £17,500 to supplement Autumn Stakes hero Ancient Wisdom into the contest earlier in the week, and Charlie Appleby is confident his youngster can take another step forward from that impressive Newmarket success.
He said: “He won the Emirates Autumn Stakes in good style. He appreciated the ground and step up in trip. He has come out of the race very well and had an easy bit of work at Newmarket on Saturday where he showed his wellness.
Ancient Wisdom surges home to win the Emirates Autumn Stake to make it three wins out of four
“He has obviously done well for the break he had after Ascot, physically he has done very well from then until now.”
He added on the Godolphin website: “He showed at Newmarket that a mile on testing conditions suited him, so he ticks a few boxes in a race where stamina is going to play a part. It’s a competitive field and we are looking forward to seeing how he gets on.”
With Ryan Moore suspended Aidan O’Brien quickly snapped up the services of James Doyle, who has ridden two Group One winners for the stable this year through Warm Heart.
Speaking on news of his booking for Diego Velazquez, who is a son of Frankel, Doyle told Sky Sports Racing: “It’s very exciting and I’m looking forward to it.
“We haven’t seen much of him, but the two starts we have done he looks very progressive and warms to the task.
“I don’t think he’s encountered ground like we’ll have so we’ll just have to see.”
Roger Teal saddled Dancing Magic to finish fourth in this race 12 months ago and connections are represented by Dancing Gemini this time around, who takes the step up to Group One company following a taking success at the track in the Flying Scotsman Stakes.
That four-and-a-quarter-length triumph came on soft ground and although not enamoured by the thought of heavy ground for his talented colt, Teal is hoping his agile nature will help him deal with the testing conditions.
“We are very happy with him, he came out of the Flying Scotsman Stakes very well,” said Teal.
“He beat what was in front of him that day and he beat them in style, it was faster than the Group Two the next day. It was a good performance, he did it very convincingly.
Dancing Gemini winning the Flying Scotsman Stakes (Tim Goode/PA)
“It was pretty soft the day he won at Doncaster. It is not ideal for any horse, I don’t think any trainer would choose the conditions if they could. The way he travels, he is quite light on his feet so hopefully he doesn’t get bogged down too much.”
David Menuisier added a third Group One to his CV when Sunway claimed the Criterium International last weekend and bids to quickly add to his tally with Devil’s Point, who was third in the Solario Stakes at Sandown before racing at Saint-Cloud most recently.
He was not disgraced when an honourable fourth behind Criterium International runner-up Alcantor on that occasion and is one in the line-up set to relish the deep ground.
“He came out of the race at Saint-Cloud really well, the form of the race was franked in Group One Criterium International,” said Menuisier.
Devil’s Point in action at Sandown (Adam Davy/PA)
“The ground was potentially not quite soft enough for us last time, so I would expect him to improve a few lengths on what he did in the Prix Thomas Bryon and he was an unlucky loser in the Solario Stakes at Sandown before that.
“The horse is top notch and with the softer ground this weekend hopefully he can run a really good race.”
John and Thady Gosden will rely on God’s Window who was likeable winner of a soft-ground maiden during the St Leger Festival and is now upped to the highest level for just his second start.
He will be ridden by Kieran Shoemark, who said: “He won his maiden nicely there on pretty soft ground on Leger day so the ground is not a concern.
“He definitely appreciates a cut in the ground but heavy ground is different altogether.
“He gave me a good feel on his debut, I felt when I crossed the line he was only just getting going and he ran all the way to the bottom of the hill.
“Diego Velazquez was impressive last time, Ancient Wisdom was impressive in the Autumn Stakes so it’s a good race, as it should be.”
Less than a length back in second in that contest was Redhot Whisper with his trainer Ben Brookhouse planning this outing ever since finishing third at Leicester on debut.
God’s Window (right) and Redhot Whisper (left) have already clashed one at Doncaster (Tim Goode/PA)
He said: “He came out of the race at Doncaster in good order, he seems to take to his racing really well.
“We aimed him at this race after running very well in his maiden, which was a very expensive maiden and he was beaten by a very smart horse. He was finishing off nicely that day and was giving away three pounds to the eventual winner.
“His preparation has gone very pleasingly, very straightforward to this point. We think he will see out the trip and will love the ground. We think he is still progressing.”
Deira Mile completes the field on his first start for Owen Burrows.
https://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/274318670-scaled.jpg12802560Geegeez Newshttps://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/geegeez_banner_new_170x78.pngGeegeez News2023-10-27 16:20:162023-10-27 16:20:16Ancient Wisdom and Diego Velazquez face fascinating Doncaster clash
Diego Velazquez heads eight declarations for the Kameko Futurity Trophy at Doncaster on Saturday.
Having impressed on his debut, the Frankel colt took the step up to Group company in his stride when seeing off stablemate Capulet in Leopardstown’s Champions Juvenile Stakes.
Aidan O’Brien’s youngster is one of the leading fancies for the Group One contest, a race in which the Ballydoyle handler has a fine record and claimed with subsequent Derby hero Auguste Rodin in 2022.
Diego Velazquez will be joined in the line-up by stablemate Battle Cry.
Charlie Appleby’s Autumn Stakes winner Ancient Wisdom looks a chief threat and was supplemented for the Town Moor contest earlier this week, while Roger Teal’s Dancing Gemini returns to the scene of an impressive track victory in the Flying Scotsman Stakes.
John And Thady Gosden’s God’s Window also created a taking impression when debuting during the St Leger Festival at the course, while Ben Brookhouse’s Redhot Whisper was less than a length adrift on that occasion and is also engaged.
Devil’s Point will bid to give David Menuisier a second Group One victory in the space of a week, with Deira Mile completing the field for Owen Burrows.
Diego Velazquez maintained his unbeaten record in the KPMG Champions Juvenile Stakes at Leopardstown, although he was made to work reasonably hard by stablemate Capulet as Irish Champions Festival weekend got under way.
Bought for 2,400,000 guineas from the Tattersalls Book One sale in October, the Aidan O’Brien-trained Frankel colt had impressed on his debut at the Curragh, winning by almost five lengths.
Sent off the 8-15 favourite under Ryan Moore to enhance his reputation, he looked to be in the perfect position to strike three furlongs from home in the Group Two affair.
Two from two for Diego Velazquez in an exciting finish to the @KPMG_Ireland Champions Juvenile Stakes!
However, Moore soon had to get more serious, with Seamie Heffernan appearing to have more up his sleeve in front on Capulet.
But showing a good attitude when asked, Diego Velazquez began to hit top gear and by the line had half a length in hand over Capulet, in a race won last year by Auguste Rodin.
Coral go 8-1 about Diego Velazquez emulating Auguste Rodin in next year’s Derby, and 16-1 for the Guineas.
“We’re very happy. We liked the second horse a lot and we knew we needed something to take him and stretch him a little bit,” said O’Brien.
“They didn’t go very fast for the first half and turned it on from halfway so he learned a lot.
“Ryan was delighted, he said he had to catch hold of him and make him learn. He’s still a baby.
“We were surprised the first day that he ran in the Curragh how babyish he was, he never took a hold of the bridle.
“Today he was green as well, but a lot better. We think the race will leave him in a very good place.
“I’d imagine he’ll go for the Futurity Trophy (Doncaster), that’s what we thought he would do.
“We think he’s going to step up loads from it, but we were very happy with what he did today.
Diego Velazquez was made to work hard (Damien Eagers/PA)
“The plan was to come here and then go to Doncaster.
“We did it with Auguste Rodin last year, but we knew this horse had to learn a lot more than Auguste did last year.
“He was extra green at the Curragh and we knew unless he was going to learn a lot this time it was going to be very hard to pitch him into a good race after that. We think he will.”
On the runner-up he added: “He’s a good horse. He won first time at Dundalk and we liked him. He’s out of a good Galileo mare and we thought he was a fair horse.
“Seamus liked him a lot today. He’s a typical Justify, the minute you go beyond seven furlongs they seem to grow another leg. They are really classic-bred middle-distance horses and you’d have to be really happy with him also.”
https://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/273491603-scaled.jpg12802560Geegeez Newshttps://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/geegeez_banner_new_170x78.pngGeegeez News2023-09-09 13:40:472023-09-09 14:00:06Diego Velazquez stays unbeaten at Leopardstown
Diego Velazquez enhanced his Classic claims with a runaway victory on his eagerly-anticipated racecourse debut at the Curragh.
A son of Frankel who cost 2.4million guineas as a yearling, Aidan O’Brien’s juvenile was already priced up for next year’s 2000 Guineas and Derby ahead of his first competitive outing, suggesting he has been showing plenty on the Ballydoyle gallops.
He was a 2-5 favourite to make a successful start to his career in the Bord Na Mona Recycling Irish EBF Maiden and while Ryan Moore had to niggle him along at various stages, the further Diego Velazquez went the better he looked.
Easy to pick out with a white blaze and four white socks, the youngster quickened up smartly entering the final furlong and passed the post just under five lengths clear of 80-1 shot Guildenstern, who pipped the winner’s stablemate Old Faithful to the runner-up spot by a nose.
The further he goes, the better he looks! 🏇
Diego Velazquez, who went for 2.4million guineas as a yearling, came with a huge home reputation and he's justified strong market support on debut.
Betfair and Paddy Power cut Diego Velazquez to 12-1 from 16-1 for the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, while he is 10-1 from 14-1 for the Derby. O’Brien houses the ante-post favourite for both races in City Of Troy.
Of his latest winner, the trainer said: “We had him ready to run about a month ago and he got a little injury so we had to stop and start again. He was just ready to come racing today.
“We wanted to get him out. Ryan said he was very babyish, but he obviously has a massive engine. He doesn’t even know what he’s at yet.
“He said he only came on the bridle with 50 yards to go, he said he only realised he was racing then.
“(The blustery weather) is not ideal for a first time out two-year-old.”
Considering future plans, he added: “We felt with him at home he could go anywhere, but looking at today you’d like to give him another run somewhere before he goes for a big one.
City Of Troy will be seen next in the National Stakes at the Curragh (David Davies for The Jockey Club)
“He was absolutely half-speeding with horses (at home) and came today and didn’t take hold of the bridle. That can happen first time. It happened to Paddington first time in Ascot last year, he never took hold of the bridle.
“He’s probably going to come on and learn a lot from it.”
O’Brien also outlined running plans for some of his other exciting juveniles.
He said: “Henry Longfellow will come here next week for the Futurity and City Of Troy will come here for the National Stakes.
“Ylang Ylang won’t come next weekend, she’ll go straight to the Moyglare.”
O’Brien and Moore doubled up for the day with the impressive Cherry Blossom in the Keeper’s Heart Irish And American Whiskey Irish EBF Maiden.
A promising fourth on her introduction in a Listed race at Naas last month, the 8-13 market leader opened her account at the second time of asking, scorching five lengths clear of her rivals.
O’Brien said: “We’re delighted with her, we thought she was very nice the first day and she nearly fell over coming out of the gates then, she went right down on her knees.
“She’s probably a very smart filly and we’ll have a look at the Lowther with her now. She looks like a Cheveley Park filly in time.”
Billy Lee and Paddy Twomey with A Lilac Rolla (Brian Lawless/PA)
O’Brien’s Opera Singer was narrowly denied in the ARC American Racing Channel Irish European Breeders Fund Fillies Juvenile Race by the Paddy Twomey-trained A Lilac Rolla.
The winner was sent off at 5-2 to supplement her debut success at Cork a fortnight ago and did so by a head in the hands of Billy Lee, with 9-4 favourite Red Viburnum a big eyecatcher in third.
“She probably learned a lot the first day. The trainer was a bit worried about the seven furlongs, but the owner assured me that the dam had won over 10 furlongs and the jockey said she got it well,” said Twomey.
“She hasn’t done a lot since the last day. The plan had been the sales race on Champions Weekend and I figured more experience was no harm for that.
“Her plans might get upgraded. It’s a 300 grand race but black type is forever if she can get it.”
https://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/273306168-scaled.jpg12802560Geegeez Newshttps://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/geegeez_banner_new_170x78.pngGeegeez News2023-08-12 13:18:232023-08-12 14:15:05Diego Velazquez makes striking Curragh debut
geegeez.co.uk uses cookies to improve your experience. We assume that's OK, but you may opt-out from the settings. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
