How Good Is City Of Troy?

With the British flat season kicking off at Doncaster on Saturday, the question many racing fans are asking is this: just how good is Aidan O’Brien’s star three year-old, City Of Troy?

David Mollett writes that last season’s European champion juvenile is 4-5 favourite to give O’Brien an 11th 2000 Guineas win at Newmarket on May 4.

City Of Troy (Pic – Racing TV)

“City of Troy has always looked a bit different – every time we work him he does work very different from others,” says O’Brien.

“The horses are working in ground that’s deep at the moment and he shouldn’t like it at all, but he has a lot of power,” he added.

“We’re hoping to work him after racing at Naas on Sunday, but the plan is to go straight to the Guineas.”

After the Guineas, the Derby is on the agenda for City Of Troy with Bet365 quoting the O’Brien inmate as the 9-4 favourite.

Further on a trip to Saratoga in America remains a possibility. “He’s by Justify which makes it very exciting for us because he should be able to run on dirt as easily as he does on grass.”

Bookmakers quote City Of Troy’s stablemate, Henry Longfellow, as the 6-1 second favourite for the Guineas but the colt might not go to Newmarket.

“Henry Longfellow has done very well and has plenty of pace. We’re kind of viewing him as a miler at the moment, but if he went to the French Guineas and it went well he could end up in the French Derby,” said O’Brien.

Other candidates in the Guineas market include Rosallion (Richard Hannon) and Ancient Wisdom (Charlie Appleby) with both colts quoted at 8-1.

Another horse who has shortened in the early betting is Karl Burke’s three year-old, Night Raider, with the son of Dark Angel notching a comfortable win at Southwell on Wednesday.

“Apparently he’s now 10-1 so I’m happy with the 40-1 I took a couple of months ago,” quipped Burke.

With Opera Singer having suffered a setback, Ylang Ylang, winner of a Gr 3 at Leopardstown, is likely to be O’Brien’s main representative in the 1000 Guineas on May 5. The filly is a 4-1 chance in the antepost market.

In their ‘Horses to Follow in 2024’, Timeform are keen on trainer Ollie Sangster’s filly, Shuwari, winner of last season’s Star Stakes at Sandown.

“Shuwari might well have been the best horse in both the Rockfel and Fillies Mile being set too much to do in the former and, conversely, making her effort earlier than ideal in the latter. She won’t need to improve much over the winter to develop into a serious 1000 Guineas contender.”

While my Yorkshire contacts are tipping Julie Camacho’s runner, Lattam, as a lively outsider for the Lincoln at Doncaster on Saturday, the 4-1 favourite is Awaad who will represent Simon Crisford’s stable.

Awaad will race off the same mark as 12 months ago when finishing second to Migration.

UK Fixtures: