Aidan O’Brien is concerned that Air Force Blue may be found out in the final 200 metres of Saturday’s English 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket.
Last season’s champion European juvenile, who will be ridden by Ryan Moore, obliterated his rivals in the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes over 1,400 metres in October and, with another six months to strengthen up, it was assumed that the American-bred son of War Front would take the 1,600 metres in his athletic stride.
Air Force Blue, who only turns three on Monday, faces 12 rivals, including Godolphin trio Buratino, Herald The Dawn and Ribchester.
The UAE interest is augmented by Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid’s Massaat, trained by rookie handler Owen Burrows, and Abdulla Al Mansoori’s First Selection, who will provide former Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford with his first runner in the race.
“Air Force Blue has always been very quick and has a lot of natural speed, that’s why we are hoping he gets a mile,” O’Brien said.
“Obviously this will be the acid test as it’s his first run over a mile, we’ll probably learn a lot about him.
“Those seven-furlong two-year-old races are like enhanced sprints and it is a searching mile at Newmarket. You’d have to be hopeful that he will get it, but you can never be sure until they do it on the day.”
Britain has been by lashed by rain, and in some parts snow, all week and the going at Newmarket is forecast to be good to soft. With Air Force Blue set to wear a tongue tie for the first time there must be doubts about him lasting home.
Elsewhere on the seven-race card, Godolphin’s Jack Hobbs clashes with fellow Classic winner Simple Verse in the Group 2 Jockey Club Stakes in which Dubai Gold Cup second Big Orange also runs.
Earlier in the day Al Quoz Sprint runners Jungle Cat, Sole Power, and Sir Maximilian renew rivalry in the Group 3 Palace House Stakes run over 1,000 metres.
Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE
Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TheNationalSport
