One of Ballydoyle's least-exposed older horses despite having already collected a GI Breeders' Cup Mile, Order of Australia (Ire) (Australia {GB}) drops to seven furlongs for the first time in his career in Sunday's G2 Romanised Minstrel S. at The Curragh. Only eighth on his return in Royal Ascot's G1 Queen Anne S. June 15, he takes a surprising step considering he was fourth in last year's G1 Irish Derby and won over that 12-furlong trip. He is joined by stablemate Military Style (War Front), who captured the G3 Tyros S. over this trip at Leopardstown in August and who has not been seen since finishing ninth in the following month's G1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National S. at this venue. “His standout run is obviously his Breeders' Cup Mile success and a reproduction of that run, even with his three-pound penalty, would make him hard to beat in this,” Ryan Moore said. “He will have to come on a fair bit for his Queen Anne run on his reappearance, though to be fair that was a stiff task first time up and this is a clear step down in grade on a course he has won at before.”
The Curragh also stages the G2 Kilboy Estate S. for fillies and mares over nine furlongs, with Johnny Murtagh taking the plunge with the impressive June 18 Sandringham H. winner Create Belief (Ire) (Awtaad {Ire}). Needing to prove herself on this livelier ground, having excelled on a testing surface, she encounters two talented 4-year-olds in the May 8 G3 Blue Wind S. scorer Insinuendo (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) and the G2 Premio Lydia Tesio and G3 Darley Pride S. winner Angel Power (GB) (Lope de Vega {Ire}). “The handicapper put her up and she's rated 110 now, so no more handicaps for her,” Murtagh said. “Everything's gone good and she's ready to go again.”
Angel Power, who was a much-improved performer during the latter part of 2020, makes her seasonal comeback in the King Power Racing silks under a three-pound penalty and will have to have resumed her progression to deal with these rivals. Trainer Roger Varian said, “She took a while to come to herself this year, but she seems in good form. She's had a couple of small, niggly issues–nothing major, but it prevented us getting her on the track a little bit earlier. She looks very well. It's her first run for a long time and the run might bring her forward, but she's trained well enough to go to Ireland and put in a nice performance. She's got a penalty to shoulder and the ground might be a little bit quicker than ideal, but hopefully it's safe and she ought to run a nice race. I think the [G1] Prix Jean Romanet would be her August target and we're very keen to get a run into her before then.”
At Chantilly, the G2 Darley Prix Robert Papin takes centre stage with Siu Pak Kwan's Atomic Force (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}) a warm order to back up the impression of his dominant performance in the G3 Prix du Bois over this course and six-furlong distance June 20. Alain Jathiere's Tipperary Sunset (GB) (Ardad {Ire}) makes his debut for the Pascal Bary stable, having been bought for £200,000 at last month's Goffs London Sale following his win in the Continental Two Year Old Trophy Conditions S. at Beverley May 29, while Diablotine (Ire) (Kodi Bear {Ire}) comes into this on the back of a success in the Listed Prix des Reves d'Or over five furlongs on heavy ground at Vichy May 21.
In the G3 Prix Messidor, Godolphin's 2020 G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains hero and 'TDN Rising Star' Victor Ludorum (GB) (Shamardal) bids to get back on track reverting to a mile after his latest fifth in ParisLongchamp's G1 Prix d'Ispahan May 30. He meets this year's Poule d'Essai des Poulains third Breizh Eagle (Fr) (Bow Creek {Ire}), who was subsequently disappointing when sixth as the re-opposing Moai (Fr) (Showcasing {GB}) was third in the G3 Prix Paul de Moussac over this track and trip June 20. Godolphin's Lisa-Jane Graffard said, “Victor Ludorum is still on a comeback trail following an extended period of time off over the winter. He is in good form and we expect this to be another stepping-stone towards races later in the season.” Godolphin also have the Charlie Appleby-trained Listed Abingdon S. winner Creative Flair (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the nine-furlong G3 Prix Chloe, where she is tackled by a duo from the Andre Fabre stable headed by Prince Faisal's July 3 Listed Prix de Bagatelle winner Noticeable Grace (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}). “Creative Flair heads to France on the back of a nice win at Newbury and coming back slightly in trip isn't a concern,” Appleby commented. “She is quite a straightforward filly with some strong form this season and looks ready to take the step up to group company.”
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