Horseracing: Minardi gets Kinane nod in Guineas
Michael Kinane pins his hopes on Minardi giving him his third Irish 2000 Guineas success and his first for 15 years.
Kinane has been out of luck in the colts’ Classic at the Curragh, now sponsored by Entenmann’s, since partnering Flash of Steel to victory for Dermot Weld in 1986, having won on Dara Monarch four years earlier.
Minardi was an unlucky in running four and a half lengths fourth to Golan in the Sagitta 2000 Guineas at Newmarket under Kinane.
Kinane’s main retainer, champion trainer Aidan O’Brien, will saddle four colts in Saturday’s £225,000 contest Mozart (Seamus Heffernan), Freud (Jamie Spencer) and Black Minnaloushe (Johnny Murtagh).
O’Brien will not now run his National Stakes winner last season Beckett, and has yet to finalise jockey arrangements for Sunday’s Irish 1000 Guineas.
Minardi is 7-4 joint-favourite with Cashmans of Cork with Newmrket runner-up Tamburlaine.
His rider Richard Hughes admitted that he will have to deliver Tamburlaine with as late a run as possible.
Hughes, son of trainer Dessie Hughes, was on board the Richard Hannon-trained colt when they finished second to Golan.
He has been let off his domestic responsibilities as number one rider for Khaled Abdulla in and given permission to make the trip to Ireland.
Hughes said: "I’ll just have to make sure I don’t get there too soon.
"I got there too soon at Newmarket because we were a different class on the day, myself and Golan, and I had to try to let Golan go first and follow him through.
"Hopefully I’ll be just that length further back and be able to get a lead."
Hannon is hopeful of a big showing from his charge.
"It looks as if things have come in his favour," he said.
"It should be fast ground, even good ground wouldn’t matter, he looks as if he’s in to run a hell of a race.
"I just want to say thanks to Prince Khaled for allowing Richard to ride him."
