Aidan O'Brien has suggested that he left City Of Troy (Justify) “too fresh” ahead of what turned out to be a bitterly disappointing return in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket on Saturday but went on to explain that last season's European Champion Two-Year-Old remains on course to run in the Derby.
City Of Troy trailed home in ninth, beaten 17 lengths by the winner Notable Speech (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), despite being sent off at odds of 4-6 for the 2,000 Guineas. He can now be backed at odds as big as 8-1 for the Derby.
Speaking to the Nick Luck daily podcast, O'Brien said, “He's still on the same plan. Obviously we always make a plan and sometimes every part of the plan doesn't go right. Next time, we will know an awful lot more. The plan is that he will go straight to the Derby.”
O'Brien added, “Thinking back on it, maybe I had him too fresh and hadn't enough done with him through the whole winter. Our ground has been very bad and very deep here and, listen, that's what's going on in my mind. He just jumped and ran fresh and then just blew out. I think that that's the reason and obviously we'll know more the next time.
“When he went into the stalls, he stood straight up straight away. For me, that meant that he was too fresh. Obviously, when that happens, their heart rate will rise straight away. He landed and the gates opened, so he was racing straight away.
“He was always very natural at home and always done everything very easy. If he was a horse who hadn't as much ability, he'd probably be finding his work harder than he was finding it. That's what I am putting it down to.”
It wasn't all doom and gloom for Ballydoyle at Newmarket as stablemate Ylang Ylang (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) enhanced her reputation by finishing fifth in the 1,000 Guineas on Sunday. According to O'Brien, all roads will now lead to the Oaks at Epsom, for which Ylang Ylang heads the market at 7-2.
O'Brien said, “She was working like an Oaks filly more than a Guineas filly-working like a filly who could run a very big race in a Guineas and we felt that was what she did. She looked like a filly that would definitely step up to a mile-and-a-quarter and usually, if they have enough class over a mile-and-a-quarter, they have a good chance of getting a mile-and-a-half at Epsom.”
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