Air Force Blue at peak for Guineas assault

Air Force Blue streaks away from the field in last year’s Dubai Dewhurst Stakes. Image copyright of Racingfotos.com.

Last season’s champion two-year-old, who is odds on to win the opening race of the QIPCO British Champions Series, has had a “faultless” preparation according to Kevin Buckley, Coolmore representative, who was attending a press conference at the Jockey Club Rooms in Newmarket.

Paintings worth millions of pounds hang on the walls of the world famous private members club and Air Force Blue, who already has three Group 1 victories on his CV, will himself be worth a fortune if he wins the Classic.
“He’s wintered very well and developed and grown nicely,” Buckley said. “His training regime has gone perfectly; we are all happy.

“Clearly there has to be some cause [about his ability to stay a mile] because he hasn’t done it before but his training and physique suggest it will be fine.”

There had been a suggestion that Air Force Blue would be O’Brien’s only runner in the 2000 Guineas but Buckley indicated that Air Vice Marshal and Shogun will join him.

O’Brien will also be triple handed in the QIPCO 1000 Guineas on Sunday – the second of 35 races in the QIPCO British Champions Series – with Minding, the favourite, joined by Ballydoyle and Alice Springs.
The score between Minding and Ballydoyle is 1-1 but when asked if he thought the former was superior, Buckley said: “I think so, personally speaking. That’s not being critical of Ballydoyle – she’s a high calibre filly in her own right. “She [Minding] did a very nice piece of work on Saturday and the finishing touches will be put on this week.”

Alice Springs did not finish far behind Minding and Ballydoyle in last year’s Moyglare Stakes and will not lack for experience, having already had eight races. Buckley said she would not have been suited by the heavy ground when below-par on her return at Leopardstown.