Diego Velazquez bids to maintain perfect record at Leopardstown in Solonaway clash with Maljoom

After a couple of uninspiring efforts in the French Derby and King Edward VII Stakes, Diego Velazquez stormed back to form when bursting seven lengths clear in the Meld Stakes and he has obvious claims of landing this Group 2 at a track where he is unbeaten.

The Frankel colt’s best two displays have come at Leopardstown courtesy of his latest win and his success in the Champions Juvenile Stakes last season. His form has been a touch volatile otherwise as he didn’t handle testing conditions in the Futurity before being caught too wide at Chantilly and putting in a puzzling effort when upped to 1m4f at Ascot.

The Meld Stakes form has worked out well, with the distant runner-up Tarawa coming out to land Group 3 honours on her next start, so it's fair to say he's bounced back to his best.

The prize for the mile contest has been exported plenty in recent times with seven of the last ten winners being trained in Britain. Maljoom heads the raiding party this time around and he's dropping in class having performed with plenty of credit in Group 1s on his last three starts.

A third-place finish behind Charyn in the Queen Anne was followed by a runner-up effort behind Notable Speech in the Sussex Stakes. Stepping up in trip for the Juddmonte International was always going to be a big ask.

Back to a mile, he brings solid Group 1 form and a standard that Diego Velazquez will have to prove he is capable of reaching.

Mutasarref has been tremendous for connections and is a very classy operator at this track but Galen, who finished a length and a quarter behind him in fourth in the Desmond Stakes, can overturn the form and run a big race at an each-way price.

The three-year-old finished second to City Of Troy on his sole start as a juvenile and was hugely impressive when defeating subsequent Listed winner Beechwood by 11 lengths at Killarney on his penultimate start in a good time. He was heavily supported into 5-4 on his step up to Group 3 company but the race developed into a sprint which didn't seem to suit and he's capable of better based on the impression he had created before that effort.

Lord Massusus finished half a length ahead of Galen on that occasion and is a solid proposition in this grade, while Poker Face is a Group 2 winner and acquitted himself well when finishing second to Ice Max at Goodwood last month.

What they say

Karl Burke, trainer of Flight Plan
He won the race last year but hasn't been in the same sort of form since. He didn't run badly at York last time though, where nine furlongs may have stretched him, and we're hoping the return to a mile may help.

Ed Crisford, joint-trainer of Poker Face
He ran super to be second in the Celebration Mile at Goodwood last time and he has been in good shape since. Good ground should suit him fine as will the track and we expect him to be competitive.

Joseph O'Brien, trainer of Gregarina and Galen
Galen had a good run over course and distance last time. He steps up in class in a very strong race but he has a live each-way chance and should love the fast ground. Gregarina is a Group 3 winner and she is capable of running a career-best.

Joseph O'Brien: runs Gregarina and GalenCredit: Patrick McCann

Andy Oliver, trainer of Bright Stripes
He's dropping back to a mile and it is a bit of a step up but we've been happy with him at home. He's been running to his rating in Group 3s so hopefully he can be in the mix.

Aidan O'Brien, trainer of Diego Velazquez and Mountain Bear
We were delighted with Diego Velazquez the last day and the plan was to run in America in the Saratoga Derby, but that race was called off after they got a lot of rain. The travelling didn't affect him and we decided to come back to Leopardstown for this. He seems very well. Mountain Bear ran well at Leopardstown last time and has been in good form since.

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