Contarelli Chapel, ridden by Ryan Moore, on the way to winning The Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden at Naas last month. Photo: Caroline Norris
Contarelli Chapel, ridden by Ryan Moore, on the way to winning The Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden at Naas last month. Photo: Caroline Norris
Contarelli Chapel bids to build on her impressive debut victory when she steps up to Group 3 company for the Coolmore Stud EBF Fillies Sprint Stakes at Naas today.
The half-sister to last year’s French Oaks and Nassau Stakes heroine rocketed home by five and a half lengths over this course and distance three weeks ago. She now puts her Royal Ascot credentials to the test.
“She hasn’t done much obviously, but we’re very happy with her since,” said trainer Aidan O’Brien. “This will tell us what our next option will be, whether that’s Royal Ascot or somewhere else, but we are happy with her.”
Contarelli Chapel’s rivals include two from Jim Bolger’s stable — course and distance scorer Freedom Of Speech and Missing Matron.
O’Brien relies solely on Dundalk maiden winner Cadamosto for the Coolmore Stud Calyx Race over five furlongs. The son of No Nay Never was an impressive winner on his debut last month and takes on five challengers on his first start on turf. “Like Contarelli Chapel, we’ll run him again to see if Royal Ascot is an option, but we’ve been happy with how he has progressed from his first run,” he said.
Michael O’Callaghan has a fascinating debutant in Twilight Jet, who cost £210,000 at the breeze-up sales.
“Since we’ve got him, we’ve been very pleased with him,” said O’Callaghan. “He came highly recommended from the usual source — Tally-Ho Stud’s Roger O’Callaghan. He’s a great attitude and a lot of natural speed.
“We’re pitching him into a winners’ race because we think that’s the level he belongs in. He’s good and forward, very sharp, knows his job. Potentially, he may be a horse for Royal Ascot so we have to get him started sooner rather than later.”
Ken Condon is happy to step Laws Of Indices down to six furlongs for the Group 3 Lacken Stakes after last year’s Railway Stakes victor finished fifth to Poetic Flare in the 2,000 Guineas Trial at Leopardsown last month.
“He’s a hard horse to read, to be categorical about his optimum,” he said. “There were diverging opinions, but I think the owners as a collective decided after the Guineas Trial to target this race and come back in trip.”
PA Media