Sunday’s Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh promises to be one of the best juvenile races of the season and Seamie Heffernan can hardly wait to be reunited with Aidan O’Brien’s unbeaten colt Power.
O’Brien has a quite astonishing record in the six-furlong (1200m) Group One having saddled 11 of the last 13 winners, with Ballydoyle stars such as Johannesburg, George Washington and Holy Roman Emperor all on the roll of honour.
Power has done everything right in his three starts to date, winning a maiden over this course and distance and striking in Listed company under Heffernan before taking the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot for Ryan Moore.
With the latter sidelined by injury, Heffernan is back in the saddle this weekend and is confident his mount is still progressing.
“I’m delighted to have the ride back on him. He’s one of our smartest two-year-olds and he’s a Group Two winner,” Heffernan said.
“It seems like he has been improving the whole time, so hopefully that proves to be the case on Sunday.
“He’s a tough horse. He has a big heart and he responds when you really need him. The ground shouldn’t be a problem as he’s handled it well before.
“It looks a good race as you would expect and that is what racing is about. There are a lot of strong, mature two-year-olds in there and hopefully the luck is with us.
“The strong ones should be competing and shouldn’t be afraid of each other, so we’ll see what happens.
“This race is always a good trial and whatever wins it normally goes on and wins a second Group One and runs well in the Classics next year.”
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