Gstaad ruled out of Phoenix clash

Impressive Royal Ascot winner Gstaad has been ruled out of this afternoon’s Group One Keeneland Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh.

Aidan O’Brien had warned on Friday that the Coventry Stakes scorer had been “a little bit quiet” after his exercise in the morning but he had hoped it was nothing too serious.

Gstaad was due to clash with fellow Royal Ascot winner and stablemate True Love but news came through on Saturday morning that Gstaad was off his feed.

That means O’Brien now relies on True Love and Puerto Rico.

O’Brien’s son Joseph fields the main danger in Green Sense, winner of the Prix Robert Papin last time out and a late absentee from the Ballyhane Stakes on Monday.

He said: “We’re happy with her off the back of a good run.

“It looks a strong renewal of the race, obviously, if dad’s two turn up.

“We’re hoping for a good run from her, and it would be great if she could get Group One-placed.”

Power Blue has not dodged anyone all season finishing fifth in the Coventry and third in the Railway, so Adrian Murray’s colt faces a tall order in his bid to give the yard a second win in the race in three years.

Murray said: “This looks a tough race for Power Blue, but he’s been running well in all the big races and he’s danced all the dances.

“He’s in great form so we’ll let him take his chance. We’ll see if Aidan runs both his big guns, you never know.

“We won this with Bucanero Fuerte two years ago and he would have the edge at the same stage. Power Blue is a very nice horse, but Bucanero just always had that touch of class, he’s a Group One winner.”

Power Blue is owned by Amo Racing as is the final runner in the field, David Loughnane’s Do Bronxs.