KIEREN FALLON thinks St Nicholas Abbey is a “freak” if he is able to win Saturday’s StanJames.com 2000 Guineas at Newmarket.
Aidan O’Brien’s Montjeu colt is the current 13-8 favourite with the sponsors and was among the 22 entries at yesterday’s five-day declaration stage.
He was unbeaten in three starts as a juvenile and landed the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster in devastating fashion last autumn.
Former Ballydoyle stable jockey Fallon doesn’t have a ride in the colts’ Classic, but he feels the quicker ground St Nicholas Abbey will encounter this weekend stops him from being a certainty.
Fallon, who has ridden four 2,000 Guineas winners, said: “I was very impressed with Elusive Pimpernel, who clocked a very good speed figure in the Craven Stakes. He’s proven he can come down the hill and has won on fast ground.
“The Coolmore horse (St Nicholas Abbey) beat Elusive Pimpernel easily in the Racing Post Trophy but the ground was soft that day and this weekend it will be fast.
“Will St Nicholas Abbey be as effective on fast ground? If he can handle the fast, then he will be a freak.”
As well as St Nicholas Abbey O’Brien could also run Fencing Master and Viscount Nelson as he bids to win the 2000 Guineas winner for a sixth time.
The Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum-owned Awzaan is another horse who has won a Group One contest.
Mark Johnston’s colt landed the Middle Park Stakes and is a 8-1 chance with most bookmakers. And despite the fact he has yet to race beyond six furlongs, the owner’s racing manager Angus Gold is confident he can take the step up to a mile.
Gold said: “He improved all through his juvenile season and although he has yet to race beyond six furlongs, I do not see the mile being a problem.
“If he had not shown so much speed through last season, nobody would question his ability to stay.
“He has a good attitude and as he showed when he galloped at Newmarket, he switched off and quickened up well.”
Clive Cox’s Xtension will make his seasonal reappearance. He was third in last season’s Dewhurst Stakes and Cox said: “He’s in good nick and we just need to get him through this week in one piece. We’re all very excited about him but of course it’s a very hot race and you just don’t know which ones have improved over the winter.”
All the leading candidates were among the entries yesterday including Richard Hannon’s Greenham Stakes first and second Dick Turpin and Canford Cliffs, and Godolphin’s Al Zir, Poet’s Voice and Buzzword.
TODAY’S NAP: Waterloo Dock (5.30pm Lingfield).
