MIXED FORTUNES FOR O’BRIEN CLASSIC HOPES

By Sarah Whitelaw
8 April 2002

It was a mixed weekend for the Ballydoyle team as they saw the promising pair of Castle Gandolfo and Ballingarry win impressively, but the unbeaten champion Johannesburg lose for the first time, to useful but not outstanding filly, Rebelline.

Castle Gandolfo, a son of Gone West out of El Gran Senor’s full sister Golden Oriole, won Fosters International Trial at Lingfield fluently. It was a good weekend for Gone West with his son Came Home winning the Santa Anita Derby. Castle Gandolfo won the mile race by two and a half lengths from lightly raced Araram with the useful Zafonic colt, Dupont, back in third.

Ballingarry was an impressive winner of the group 2 Prix Noailles, the race won by Anabaa Blue last year. The full brother to Racing Post Trophy winner Aristotle won the Criterium de Saint-Cloud last year and won comfortably here under Jamie Spencer, who was impressed by the son of Sadler’s Wells. The colt won by three over the King’s Theatre colt, Great Pretender.

Johannesburg, who was having his first run since the Breeders Cup Juvenile, was touched off by the Robellino filly, Rebellino in the group three Gladness Stakes, a race won by such as Nijinsky, El Gran Senor and Giants Causeway. The Hennessy colt was using the race as a prep for the Kentucky Derby, although it is unknown if he will still be aimed at the race. Although it is too early to write off Johannesburg, it will be remembered how disappointing his close relation Minardi was at 3.