Luxembourg heads the market for the Epsom Derby after an excellent 2021 campaign; once-raced maiden Tuesday also was given a positive update by trainer Aidan O'Brien ahead of her three-year-old campaign
Wednesday 26 January 2022 17:15, UK
Aidan O’Brien has issued upbeat bulletins regarding his main 1000 and 2000 Guineas contenders Tenebrism and Luxembourg.
Both Cheveley Park heroine Tenebrism and Futurity Trophy winner Luxembourg were awarded ratings of 115 in the European two-year-old classifications, 7lb behind champion juvenile Native Trail.
Tenebrism made an impressive winning debut at Naas in March then returned from 181 days off the track to claim a Group One on just her second start at Newmarket.
O'Brien said: "We were happy enough, they (last year's juveniles) started nice and the likes of Tenebrism finished well.
"She'll head down the Guineas route. Looking at her in the Cheveley Park as a two-year-old, you'd think there was a good chance of her staying seven furlongs and if she could do that at two, there's a good chance she might get a mile at three."
Luxembourg is unbeaten in three, having also won a Killarney maiden and the Beresford Stakes, which has a rich history.
"Luxembourg is straightforward and he'll be trained for the Classics. He'll be on the Guineas programme and we'll see after that. Everything is going to plan so far," said O'Brien.
"Along with Point Lonsdale, they were the most precocious at two and you'd imagine they should get middle distances at three.
"There aren't too many races for the horses before the Guineas. We have the trials at Leopardstown and we often use it for those which are not as exposed and we use it for experience. The Craven and those other races just come a bit close."
O'Brien also spoke highly of Tuesday, a once-raced maiden who is a full-sister to Minding. She was beaten a short head by Discoveries on her only outing.
"This filly was more forward as a two-year-old than her sister, but she was a late foal which was why she has changed so much physically," he said.
"We always thought a lot of her and everything she did at home was very nice. It is an advantage she's had a run and might not be a disadvantage that she is still a maiden."
