One-time G1 Cazoo Derby favourite High Definition (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) excited his 10th-place finish in the G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby in good order and will be given a break until the fall, according to trainer Aidan O'Brien.
Named a 'TDN Rising Star' after breaking his maiden at first asking at The Curragh last August, the bay saluted by 3/4 of a length in the G2 Beresford Memorial S. there on Sept. 26 and was shelved for the winter. An unsatisfactory blood test ruled the colt out of the Listed Lingfield Derby Trial in early May, and he returned to run third behind Irish Derby hero Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) in the G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante S. at York on May 13.
“After two furlongs he clipped heels and nearly came down. Ryan [Moore] said he got disorganised then and he couldn't get him going after that,” said O'Brien. “Maybe he frightened himself, he got on to the wrong leg and he couldn't get him back. He could never click him into gear and it was a non-event really.
“When he ran against the winner in York it looked like another two furlongs was going to be right up his alley and he had run around the Curragh twice before. We'll just put a line through it, probably give him a little rest and have him back in the autumn.”
He added, “He obviously hasn't done anything since, but he seems grand. He'll do a little bit tomorrow. He was in a lovely position, cantering away but the moment it happened he just clicked out of gear.”
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