THE strength of Ballydoyle’s juvenile colts this season has increased support for Italy in the bet365 Superlative Stakes at Newmarket today, where he is currently the short-priced favourite.

Sent off a short -priced favourite on debut at Leopardstown in May, the son of Wootton Bassett readily obliged and enjoyed a boost when runner-up Thesecretadversary subsequently filled the same position in the Chesham Stakes.

Speaking to The Irish Field on Friday, Aidan O’Brien had only positive things to say about Ryan Moore’s mount. “We like him,” the trainer stated. “We liked him before Leopardstown and we thought he would come forward plenty and he has. He works like a horse with loads of quality.”

O’Brien took the 2023 running with City Of Troy, while Charlie Appleby has won three of the last five renewals, and has two contenders today. William Buick has elected to ride Dubawi colt Saba Desert, with James Doyle set to partner Too Darn Hot’s son Wild Desert. Charlie Johnston’s Chesham fourth Venetian Lace is currently fourth in the betting.

Course and distance winner

Whistlejacket won the Group 2 July Stakes at last year’s meeting and seeks his second course-and-distance win in the Group 1 feature, the Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai July Cup. “He’s in good form,” O’Brien said of Ryan Moore’s mount.

“The plan was to go here after Ascot. Ascot was just a little bit of a non-event; I think he had no luck in running, really. We’ve been happy with him since.”

As alluded to by his trainer, the No Nay Never colt encountered traffic at a vital stage in the Commonwealth Cup, before running on well to finish sixth. He was a length and a quarter behind Shadow Of Light, who finished a close fourth in the Prix Jean Prat last weekend.

Successful in the Prix Morny last year, Whistlejacket made a winning return in a listed sprint at Naas, with stablemate Ides Of March half a length further back in second. The Group 3 winner reopposes today, with Wayne Lordan aboard.

“We think and hope that he’ll leave his Ascot run behind him,” O’Brien said, referring to his run in the Commonwealth Cup. “He just got caught up in that very hard pace in the middle of it. We’ve been happy with him since as well, so hopefully he will run much better than that.”

Co-owners Coolmore will also be represented by Believing, who aims to bounce back from a disappointing effort in the King Charles III Stakes. This will be her final start before retiring to stud, though the Mehmas mare has gained an all-important Group 1 win since being bought for 3,000,000gns, having taken the Al Quoz Sprint in Meydan back in April.

Changing trips

One of the talking points of the race is Charlie Appleby and Godolphin’s dual Group 1-winning miler Notable Speech dropping down to sprint distances for the first time. He heads the market, followed by Andrew Balding and Wathnan Racing’s Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes third Flora Of Bermuda.

Rounding up what could potentially be a memorable weekend for Ballydoyle is Trinity College in tomorrow’s Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp. The son of Dubawi steps up to a mile and a half for the first time, but O’Brien seems confident that it is well within his reach.

“He seems to have come out of Ascot well,” he commented. “We always thought a mile and a half wouldn’t be a problem. He’s in good form and we’re looking forward to seeing him run again.”

The Coolmore homebred was last seen making all to a decisive victory in the Group 3 Hampton Court Stakes, having previously made an encouraging step up to Group 1 level in the Prix du Jockey Club, where he finished fourth to stablemate Camille Pissarro.