White Birch (grey) © Photo Healy Racing
The Tattersalls Irish Guineas weekend at the Curragh gets under way this evening and champion jockey Colin Keane will ride White Birch for Co. Cork trainer John Murphy in Sunday's Tattersall’s Gold Cup.
The grey son of Ulysses is one of eight declared for the Group 1 contest and comes into the race having won both the Alleged Stakes and the Mooresbridge Stakes over ten furlongs at headquarters this season.
Keane told Dave Keena that his mount deserves to take his chance in the big race.
"He seems to have matured massively from three to four and, touch wood, he hasn't done any of his antics beforehand to the start and that.
"He's two from two this year. He deserves a shot now at a Group 1 and couldn't be going there in any better form.
"There is a massive difference between even Group 3 to Group 2, and then again from Group 2 to Group 1. You need a good horse. He's run well in Group 1 company as a three-year-old, obviously he was third in the Derby, and he seems to be maturing so I think he's going there with a big shout."
