Leopardstown 2,000 Guineas Trial day review: The good Dr Zempf wins for Ger Lyons
A review of the action from Saturday's meeting at Leopardstown where Dr Zempf was clipped for the 2000 Guineas after holding on from The Acropolis.
Dr Zempf holds on in trial
Ger Lyons' Dr Zempf justified 11/10 favouritism in the Ballylinch Stud "Red Rocks" 2,000 Guineas Trial Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday.
The son of Dark Angel was runner-up in the Group One Phoenix Stakes as a juvenile and he went some way to proving he'd trained on with a battling win in the seven-furlong contest under Colin Keane.
Well positioned off the home turn, he dug deep in the final furlong to see off the closers, headed by The Acropolis for Aidan O'Brien.
Betfair Sportsbook and Paddy Power both trimmed Dr Zempf to 33/1 from 50s for the Qipco 2000 Guineas at Newmarket.
Lyons said: “There should be plenty of improvement, there needs to be for where he is going.
“I’ll talk to Peter (Brant, owner) now and and see what he thinks. He got there sooner than he wanted to be and then he just parked, he just does enough.
“I don’t know how informative it was as a race, he should be winning and he probably should be winning it easier than that, but it’s job done.
“That’s what he tends to do at home as well, he just does enough. There should be plenty of improvement in him. Colin said he went for his girths at the two pole. We’ve left a good bit to work on, but he needs to improve.
“He’s still in the pot for the Guineas, if we have a Guineas colt it’s him.”
He added: “I’ll talk to Peter and we’ll take it from there. He has a run under his belt and we can go to Newmarket at the end of the month if we need to, but we’re a long way off a horse rated 120.”
“We’ll see how he comes out of this one. I didn’t expect to get this run into him this weekend, thinking it would be heavy ground and everything like that, so we are ahead of the game and have options.
“I personally think we need to improve to keep going down this route, but that’s what these trials are about.
“A mile is not a problem to him, he just doesn’t need to be left in front that quick, he’s one that wants to come late.
“Trials are good and he’s won, you can only beat what’s in front of you. We won’t be breaking out champagne or anything, but we’re happy that the first thing is done.”
Homeless Songs bounces back for Weld
Homeless Songs put a couple of disappointing runs behind her with a smart performance to take the Ballylinch Stud “Priory Belle” 1,000 Guineas Trial Stakes at Leopardstown.
Dermot Weld’s filly had looked an exciting prospect when beating Agartha on her debut here in July, but two subsequent outings did not go as hoped.
She was back to the form of her racecourse bow, however, as the daughter of Frankel displayed a striking turn of foot in sweeping to the front, denying old rival Agartha – who was carrying a penalty – by a length.
Villanova Queen was another three-quarters of a length back in third, with favourite Sacred Bridge, who had to switch when Homeless Songs (6/1) and Chris Hayes made their move, fourth.
Bookmaker reaction was positive, with Betfair and Paddy Power cutting the winner to 12/1 from 33/1 for the Qipco 1000 Guineas.
“It was a very good performance, she had been working extremely well and Chris gave her a very confident ride,” said Weld.
“We have to speak with her owner Eva Maria Haefner and we’ll see where we go with her. She’s in both the English and Irish 1,000 Guineas.
“She has a lot of pace and she’s able to carry it. It was seven (furlongs) today and I’d be very hopeful that she’d be able to carry it up to a mile.
“We’ll see how she comes out of the race and then decide where we go next.
“We just wanted to see how we got on here today. I thought it was very professional, her performance today.
“Chris took his time on her, she settled nicely, and he rode her for speed. You saw yourself the pace she has, she settled it really in three strides.”
He added: “It was a very good renewal, the standard of the fillies in the race was very high. Chris said she just took a blow going to the line, he was always very comfortable.”