NEWS
O'Brien aiming Rock of Gibraltar to French classic
Posted: Monday, December 17, 2001
The connections of Rock of Gibraltar have indicated the multiple Group 1 winner would be pointed toward the Poule d'Essai des Poulains-French Two Thousand Guineas (Fr-G1) next year at Longchamp.
Sir Alex Ferguson, who co-owns the son of Danehill with Susan Magnier, confirmed that trainer Aidan O'Brien would point Rock of Gibraltar to the French classic.
"Michael Kinane thinks the race will suit him," Ferguson told The Sun. "He has already won at Longchamp, so we know he acts on the track. John Magnier will be weighing up the options and he will make the big decisions."
Rock of Gibraltar has won five of seven career starts, including the Darley Dewhurst Stakes (Eng-G1) and Grand Criterium (Fr-G1), for $534,128 in earnings.
The O'Brien-trained Black Minnaloushe was seventh in last year's French Two Thousand Guineas this year, but came back two weeks later to win the Irish Two Thousand Guineas (Ire-G1).
This year's French Two Thousand Guineas was won by Jean-Luc Lagardere's Vahorimix, trained by Andre Fabre, after Godolphin's Noverre crossed the line first, but was later disqualified for a medication violation.
Vahorimix won the Jacques le Marois (Fr-G1) at Deauville in similar fashion later in the season, after Proudwings was disqualified for drifting badly in the final furlong, impeding the star-crossed Noverre, who was third.
