Racing
Storm Boy set for Irish debut
Former top Aussie colt draws outside alley for Royal Ascot lead-up.
Former glamour Australian colt Storm Boy has drawn the outside barrier for his European debut, which will take place just after midnight Sunday, Australian time.
The Coolmore-owned son of Justify, last year's Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner who also ran third in the Golden Slipper, was allocated barrier nine in the Group 2 Greenlands Stakes at the Curragh.
The 1207-metre event will be Storm Boy's first start since finishing eighth in The Everest, when trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, but he has since been transferred to Irish maestro Aidan O'Brien.
The Greenlands Stakes is being used as a lead-up to the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (1207m) at next month's Royal Ascot meeting for Storm Boy.
He was beaten less than two lengths by Bella Nipotina in The Everest, which earned him aTimeform
figure of 119, a new peak up on the 118 he ran to win the Group 3 San Domenico Stakes (1100m) first-up last campaign.That latter figure is equal to his highest-rated rival this weekend, the Karl Burke-trained Lethal Levi, while other rivals include Ger Lyons' in-form Dark Angel four-year-old My Mate Alfie, Group 2 winner Iberian and Grand Grey, who was narrowly beaten at Group 3 level last time out.
The Greenlands Stakes should provide a good pointer to Storm Boy's Royal Ascot prospects with none of this weekend's rivals rated shorter than $21 in Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes betting.
The best price being offered about Storm Boy with UK bookmakers in that event is $8 with most markets headed by last year's Golden Eagle runner-up Lazzat.
Ryan Moore, who rode Storm Boy in the Golden Slipper, returns to the saddle for the Greenlands Stakes, which will be run at 12.05am AEST.
Check out the latest Singapore News