Johanner Vermeer
Star colt Johannes Vermeer has made his first public appearance for 2016 as one of the galaxy of equine stars for Aidan O’Brien’s Ballydoyle Stable. The G1 winning son of Galileo worked at the Curragh Racecourse in Ireland as one of a 50 strong team which is expected to raid major carnivals across Europe, America and possibly Asia and Australasia this calendar year.
The appearance of Johannes Vermeer coincided with news that O’Brien sees the G1 Queen Anne Stakes on the opening day of Royal Ascot as the most likely target for former champion Australian juvenile Vancouver.
Every year O’Brien sends his team to the Curragh in late March as a precursor to finalizing preparations for the flat racing season and every season there is understandable fanfare as onlookers watch arguably the most talented stable in the world stretch their legs.
The stable’s star juvenile colt of 2015, Air Force Blue, will follow a traditional path through the 2000 Guineas towards Royal Ascot’s St. James Palace Stakes while a series of lightly raced performers, including the China Horse Club co-owned and co-bred Johannes Vermeer, are expected to be steered on different paths towards derbies in England, Ireland and France.
“Seamus (Heffernan) was very happy with Air Force Blue. He cruised up the middle. It’s five weeks to the Guineas and we’ll probably go straight there. He was very happy with where we’re at.
“Hit It A Bomb might go to the French Guineas if the other horse goes to Newmarket. He might go for a trial there if he’s going. He’s done very well and he’s carrying plenty (of condition) – a trial would help him.
“General Macarthur, Port Douglas, Idaho, Beacon Rock will all get middle distances and we’ll look at trials for them. Johannes Vermeer has pace, but might start off in a Derby trial. Landofhopeandglory and Shogun will definitely stay.”
Johannes Vermeer, jointly bred by the China Horse Club and Coolmore, is raced by the same quartet that raced triple G1 winner and now stallion Australia. In his maiden season he stamped himself as a budding star when annexing the G1 International Criterium in France as well as running second in the G1 Racing Post Trophy.
Vancouver, who was crowned Champion Australian Two-Year-Old in 2015, is building towards a maiden northern hemisphere run at Ballydoyle under O’Brien’s careful tutelage. The lightly spoken trainer is well versed with the requirements of winning the Queen Anne Stakes having saluted in it three times including with former Australian based performer and now sire Haradasun.
Vancouver, Champion Australian Two-Year-Old in 2015
“[Vancouver] has been with me three weeks and he’s doing one canter, he’ll step up to two and we’ll prepare him hopefully for Ascot,” O’Brien said.
“We’ll be thinking six furlongs or a mile with him. I thought he would be a miler and I’d be thinking about the Queen Anne, even though he has shown six-furlong (1200m) pace in Australia.”
Vancouver will retire to stud at Coolmore Australia this spring, joining fellow first season sire Pride of Dubai.
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