Usdi Atohi on trial for lofty autumn targets

Donnacha O’Brien’s juvenile moves back up in distance at the Curragh.

Usdi Atohi could book her ticket to some exciting events in the autumn when trying six furlongs for a second time in Saturday’s Heider Family Stables Round Tower Stakes at the Curragh.

A Listed winner over five furlongs at Tipperary in early July, Donnacha O’Brien’s youngster was not disgraced when fifth in the Molecomb Stakes at Goodwood on her next start.

She finished close by subsequent Lowther Stakes winner Celandine on the Sussex Downs and having shaped like a return to further will suit, connections are now keen to test the waters back at six furlongs in this competitive Group Three event.

A strong performance could see her follow in the footsteps of stablemate Porta Fortuna and contest Newmarket’s Cheveley Park Stakes later in the season, with this race being used as a real gauge to her potential.

“She ran very well at Goodwood and that form has worked out well, the filly who finished beside her won the Lowther,” said O’Brien.

“We are keen to try six again in case she could be a Cheveley Park filly, so we are going back up in trip.

“Looking at her run the other day (at Goodwood), she kind of hit a little bit of a flat spot against those speedsters and then stayed on again, so it looks like six furlongs is within her range anyway.

“The last time she ran at six furlongs, she kind of stumbled quite badly, so we’re writing off that run and this will let us know where we are going.”

Trainer Donnacha O'Brien will saddle Usdi Atohi at the Curragh
Trainer Donnacha O’Brien will saddle Usdi Atohi at the Curragh (Damien Eagers/PA)

Porta Fortuna, of course, also went on to run at the Breeders’ Cup during her juvenile season and with two of the connections involved in O’Brien’s star miler owning Usdi Atohi, a trip to Del Mar in November is also in the thought process.

“Barry Fowler and Steve Weston, who own her, are American, so we would love to be able to take her to a Breeders’ Cup,” continued O’Brien.

“She would have to probably win a Group race for that to happen, so that is what we are trying to do as well.”

The Round Tower Stakes could prove an O’Brien dominated affair, with Donnacha’s father Aidan responsible for likely favourite Ides Of March.

Ides of March looked smart when winning at the Curragh earlier this month
Ides of March looked smart when winning at the Curragh earlier this month (Brian Lawless/PA)

The son of Wootton Bassett, who is out of American Grade One winner Nickname, was a beaten favourite behind next year’s Derby favourite The Lion In Winter before shedding his maiden status in good style over track and trip recently.

Also towards the top of the bookmakers’ lists is Joseph O’Brien’s Rudi’s Apple, who drops back in grade having contested the Phoenix Stakes earlier this month.

Elsewhere on the card, the exciting Dreamy takes the next step in her career in the Newtownanner Stud Irish EBF Stakes.

The Ballydoyle-trained daughter of American Pharoah, who is owned jointly by the Niarchos family and the Coolmore partners, is as short as 20-1 for next year’s Oaks after making a winning debut at Goodwood and now moves up in both distance and level for this Group Three contest.

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