GG Editor Daniel Corbally casts his eye over the runners in Saturday’s Group 1 Phoenix Stake before giving his verdict on who he’s backing to come out on top.
Sadly some big name defections, like River Tiber & City Of Try, has led to the race chopping up slightly. Unbeaten Royal Ascot winner Porta Fortuna takes her chance with Oisin Murphy returning to Ireland for the ride with the Railway Stakes 1-2,3, Bucanero Fuerte, Unquestionable & His Majesty also renewing rivalries in the field. Aidan O’Brien bids to win the race a phenomenal 18th time with the latest of those the recently retired Little Big Bear.
Odds correct at time of posting – 6.15pm 10th August
Runner-By-Runner Guide
1. BUCANERO FUERTE (5/2)
Adrian Murray has enjoyed considerable success over the last two years and a resurgence in fortunes, which in doubt, was helped by AMO Racing. Bucanero Fuerte dons the purple silks which have become synonymous with smart two-year-old performers of late. He took the opening race of the season for the juveniles back in March and ran a scorcher after a break when sent to the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot, finishing fourth, beaten a length and finishing second in his group. He’s since came out and took the Railway Stakes when showing a superb attitude to battle back and take the scalp of today’s rival, Unquestionable. He’s versatile in terms of ground having won on Good and Soft. He’s a potent danger to all today.
2. GIVEMETHEBEATBOYS (6/1)
Went through the sales ring before Royal Ascot and went for a huge £1,100,000 to new connections and ran a great race to finish fourth in behind today’s rival, Bucanero Fuerte, on a different side of the course to that rival. He was quite keen that day which was somewhat of a change to his racing style, and he seemed to pay for that having been reeled in late having hit the front, whereas previously he’d finished strongly to score in the Marble HIll. Whether this trip will prove to be his optimum is up for debate but he should still give a good account, for all that he’ll need to improve again to score.
3. HIS MAJESTY (18/1)
Turning into quite a hardy performer, winning a Listed race first time up on soft going, before racking up a sequence of 3432 all in Group races, including the Marble Hill (a head behind Givemethebeatboys), Norfolk Stakes, Railway Stakes & Prix Robert Papin latest. He may yet have further improvement to come but his consistency will stand him in very good stead in these races. The ground holds no concerns and Seamie Heffernan will know him well having ridden him previously. That relationship and experience will help and it will need to as this colt has shown a tendency to hang left late in the day.
4. UNQUESTIONABLE (9/4)
The favourite at the time of writing and clearly held in high-regard by Ballydoyle and Coolmore. He traveled well and looked to come through to win the race in the Railway Stakes but looked green when hitting the front and was susceptible to a finisher, which came to fruition when Bucanero Fuerte rallied for pressure and had the advantage of the rail to reel Unquestionable back in. He has since missed a soft ground engagement at Goodwood so perhaps will want the rain to stay away. If he can show the benefit of that run today he could reverse that form with Bucanero Fuerte and give Aidan O’Brien an 18th win in this race.
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Thu 10 Aug 20235. GAENARI (28/1)
One of two maidens in the field, she has achieved quite a lot already, running to a high level of form, bagging a couple of runner-up berths in Listed company in Ireland & France. She’s been versatile in terms of ground but the feeling is she’ll need more than a couple of these to falter to get involved at the business end of proceedings.
6. LAUNCH (80/1)
The second of the maidens in this field and the second representative of both AMO Racing & Adrian Murray. His progress has somewhat stalled in recent starts after a bright start, including a placing in Group 3 company behind Porta Fortuna. His limitations have been exposed since, including on his latest starts in a Rated race and handicap company. Easily opposed until the plateau in form is arrested.
7. PORTA FORTUNA (3/1)
An intriguing contender, unbeaten in three starts so far, culminating in a Group 3 Royal Ascot success in the Albany Stakes. Bred by Aidan & Ann-Marie O’Brien’s Whisperview Trading and trained by son Donnacha, it would be a family affair worth remembering should she come out on top. She’s raced and won on a range of ground from Heavy on debut to Good to Firm. She gets the 3lbs allowance as a filly and with Oisín Murphy coming over for the ride, she’s firmly in the equation, especially with Matrika franking the form with a win at Group 2 level.
Verdict:
Plenty of speculation is required as always with two-year-old races, like who can show the most improvement and who has reached their ceiling. UNQUESTIONABLE (9/4) represents the race’s most successful trainer and should really have won last time out after hitting the front from Bucanero Fuerte. That rival is afforded the utmost respect in his bid to confirm the form but the hope is that Aidan O’Brien’s Wooton Bassett colt will be more streetwise this time round. Porta Fortuna is another worthy of respect given his unbeaten profile but she steps out of fillies’ company today and could be vulnerable.
SELECTION – UNQUESTIONABLE (9/4 generally)
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