Galileo 2yo turns Listed contest into a “rout”
The Aidan O’Brien-trained Battle Of Marengo (2c Galileo-Anna Karenina, by Green Desert) looks a colt with a huge feature after running away with the Listed Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Trial at Leopardstown on Saturday.
The Racing Post’s Analysis team commented: “What looked competitive on paper turned into a rout. There were some disappointing efforts in behind but, clearly, BATTLE OF MARENGO is a horse going places. Early in the race he jumped a roadway, prompting the saddle to slip backwards, but Joseph O´Brien was remarkably composed and it would be wrong to say the lead he had was a soft one. When they turned into the straight, everything else was in trouble and the race was over soon afterwards. Battle Of Marengo, gorgeously bred, stayed all the way to the line and will surely get middle distances next year. The son of Galileo may still be a little green but has a great deal of ability and plenty of class. He is a 25-1 chance for the 2013 Derby.”
“He won very nicely (last time) at Gowran,” said the winning trainer. “I was a bit worried halfway through the race here when the saddle went right back on him. I was afraid turning into the straight that he [jockey Joseph O’Brien] was going to come off and it was a good performance considering. He´s a nice horse, he stays well and he loves that ground. Joseph thought after Gowran that he wanted good ground. He´ll step up now and we could look at something like the G2 Beresford Stakes or the G1 Racing Post Trophy. He could be a Derby horse in time but that´s still a long way away."