Five dark horses to watch - 'Young trainer Daniel McLoughlin has shown he has no fear' The Flat is back, and while the main stars from the yards are grabbing the headlines, I’ve done some digging through the form book to land on five horses who just may be going under people’s Havana Anna - Donnacha O'Brien Number 1 is Havana Anna, a three-year-old daughter of Havana Grey who was a winner twice last season at Naas Racecourse and was second in a Group 3 by a nose in ParisLongchamp. She was also second to True Love, who shook up the 1000 Guineas market with a success at Leopardstown last Sunday, and ran well in the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket. Trainer Donnacha O’Brien, the son of legendary trainer Aidan O’Brien, has made a huge impact in his training career so far, and this filly can go on to even better things this season. It looks like the Commonwealth Cup is a target for her, and it will be interesting to see how she gets on this season. Magny Cours - Daniel McLoughlin Magny Cours, is a three-year-old filly by Awtaad who made an eye-catching impression when second to True Love at Leopardstown last weekend. She was a winner on debut in Listowel last year before tackling some big assignments, including finishing second in a valuable sales race at the Curragh. She then travelled to France, where she was second at Chantilly. It looks like the French 1000 Guineas could be on the horizon, and this talented young trainer Daniel McLoughlin has shown he has no fear when placing his horses internationally. Zahrann - Johnny Murtagh The Aga Khan stables has enjoyed a dream couple of years with Arc winners and international success with the likes of Calandagan, and it will be very interesting to see how this four-year-old son of Night Of Thunder performs this season. He was an unlucky second in the King Edward VII Stakes but gained success in the Group 3 Royal Whip Stakes, which has previously been won by Luxembourg, a four-time Group 1 winner. He looks set for some big assignments this season and could be a really exciting horse for the Murtagh team. City Of Memphis - Paddy Twomey City Of Memphis, is a filly who was extremely well thought of, as she was sent off 8/13 on her debut. It was no surprise to see her then pitched into the highest calibre of company, where she finished fifth in the Irish 1000 Guineas. She hasn’t been seen since, but as a daughter of Sioux Nation, she looks very exciting. Under the guidance of the excellent trainer Paddy Twomey, she could have some big assignments this season. Beset - Joseph O' Brien Finally, the fifth horse on the list to look out for is Beset, who is owned by popular analyst and breeder Kevin Blake along with broadcaster Nick Luck, Michael Wilson and Emma Palmer. They have a very nice filly on their hands in Beset, and she has already made an extremely promising impression this season by landing the Devoy Stakes. She has risen through the ranks during her career, and now as a five-year-old, I feel connections and trainer Joseph O’Brien have established that her ideal conditions are over a trip on soft ground, which she handles superbly well. I would expect Joseph O’Brien to have some big assignments planned for her, and given how exciting she looks, she could aim for more black-type success abroad under suitable conditions. She is extremely talented and hardy, and hopefully her owners will continue to enjoy success with her. That is my five horses who I feel will fly the Irish flag high this season and may still be slightly under the radar.
