Racing: O’Brien's classic colts work at Lingfield
Leading Kentucky Derby hope Johannesburg and 2000 Guineas favourite Hawk Wing were in action as Aidan O’Brien made a surprise visit to Lingfield.
They were among six horses their trainer worked on the Polytrack surface as he sought to combat the wet spring which has hindered preparations at his Ballydoyle stable.
O’Brien was pleased with conditions at Lingfield and is considering saddling a runner in a proposed trial race for three-year-old colts on the track on Grand National day.
But he also has the Gladness Stakes at the Curragh 24 hours later in mind as a starting-point for his Classic team and he stressed that no definite running plans have yet been drawn up.
Reflecting on the day’s activity, O’Brien said: ‘‘We brought six horses over to Lingfield, basically for a day away.
‘‘First Shoal Creek led Rock Of Gibraltar and Johannesburg over a mile at just a nice canter.
‘‘Then in the second group Sholokov led Hawk Wing and Castle Gandolfo in a similar exercise.
‘‘Seamus Heffernan rode Johannesburg and Hawk Wing, with Paul Scallan and Colm O’Donoghue on the others.
‘‘We found it a lovely surface. It’s been hard to work them at home because of the wet weather and this was a speeding-up process of their fitness levels.
‘‘All of the three-year-olds are possibles for the Gladness Stakes at the Curragh - none of the trials are sorted out yet and we will make up our minds nearer the day.
‘‘It is quite possible we will have a runner at Lingfield - we are going to need all the trials to help us sort them out.’’
Johannesburg, officially rated Europe’s top two-year-old of 2001, is being aimed at the Kentucky Derby on May 3.
Hawk Wing is the Tote’s 11-4 favourite for the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket the same day, with Rock Of Gibraltar a 12-1 chance.
