Art Power ready to continue Curragh love affair

Course specialist Art Power returns to the Curragh on Saturday for the FBD Hotels And Resorts Phoenix Sprint Stakes when he can finally get his season under way.

The unusually dry spring and summer has prevented Tim Easterby’s grey from running so far this season as he is at his best when he can get his toe in.

That is usually the case at the Curragh, where the eight-year-old has won four times from six outings.

“He likes it good or softer and we’ve been struggling to find any,” said Easterby.

“He hasn’t had an issue. We were going to get him ready in the spring but it was so dry there was no point and then we’ve found him a couple of races and he wasn’t able to run.

“He got balloted out of a handicap at York and the ground was too fast at Ascot. He could have run at Chester last week but we decided not to run him there and wait for the Curragh.

“He’s done a lot of work, he’s in good form and I don’t look to see how old he is. I never look at their age, I just go by what they are showing me. If he was a Champion Hurdle horse you’d be delighted he was eight.

“It sounds like the ground is good and we’re very happy with him.

“I know it looks like he’s better there than anywhere but I just think that’s down to the fact it is always nice ground there.”

Another strong challenger from Britain is the James Fanshawe-trained Kind Of Blue, winner of the Champions Sprint last season but on a retrieval mission.

Richard Brown of owners Wathnan Racing said: “We’re on the comeback trail but his work has been very good and James is very happy with him.

“We’ve had a couple of blips but hopefully we can get back on track on Saturday.

“I think the Curragh will be ideal for him and the stiff finish there will be right up his alley.”

Karl Burke’s Spycatcher and David O’Meara’s Nighteyes also make the journey.

Heading the home team is Adrian Murray’s Bucanero Fuerte, winner of the Group One Phoenix Stakes on the card two years ago.

“We’ll be going quite confident, he’s in great form, he’s fresh and well and should run a big race,” said Murray.

“He’s got a great record first time out, he’s won every year actually, so it will be no bad thing he’s only had one run.

“He did have a bit of a setback just before Ascot, so he had a bit of time off after that but it might not be the worst thing in the world given his record fresh.

“He’s won a Group One at the Curragh, he loves it there and he goes on any ground, he’s won on all sorts, the ground won’t be an issue, it will be lovely.

“I don’t look at it and think ‘I wish they weren’t running’, I’m looking at it thinking we should go well and be one of the favourites.”