Babouche and Whistlejacket meet in Lacken clash

Babouche and Whistlejacket will meet for a second time as part of a stacked card for Royal Ascot Trials Day at Naas on Sunday.

The Ger Lyons-trained Babouche proved too strong for Aidan O’Brien’s Whistlejacket when the pair met in the Group One Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh last summer and they will renew their rivalry in the Group Three Lacken Stakes, a recognised trial for the Commonwealth Cup at the Royal meeting next month.

Whistlejacket made a triumphant start to his three-year-old campaign in the Listed Committed Stakes at Navan three weeks ago, while Babouche is expected to strip fitter for her comeback run when fourth in the Listed Polonia Stakes at Cork.

Lyons said: “Babouche badly needed the run in Cork the other day and we are working back from Royal Ascot with her, so hopefully she will step forward from that on Sunday. I’m hoping to see a positive run so that I know I’m aiming her right and she’s going to Ascot in a good place.

“Herself and Whistlejacket look the two dominant forces and it will be interesting to see where she stands with him as both of them have had a run.”

It promises to be an informative afternoon for the County Meath handler, with two other stable stars on show in the form of Lady Iman and Magnum Force.

Lady Iman has been impressive in winning her first two starts at Dundalk and the Curragh and bids to complete her hat-trick in the Group Three Coolmore Stud Irish EBF Blackbeard Fillies Sprint Stakes.

“This is a nice race for Lady Iman, it’s where I want to be. I want to see her over six furlongs and we’ll see what she does on Sunday and make a plan with the owners as to where she goes thereafter,” Lyons added.

“This is a race I like, I’ve been trying to win it and have been placed in it numerous times so we are looking forward to her.”

Lady Iman’s rivals include Adrian Murray’s Curragh maiden winner Miami Destination, Richard Hannon’s British raider Saffron Dandy, who impressed on her debut at Bath, and Joseph O’Brien’s Green Sense, who also looked the part on her Curragh introduction.

O’Brien said: “Green Sense enjoyed a good debut at the Curragh and she would look to be potentially in the zone for Ascot – we’ll find out more at the weekend.”

Magnum Force will be making first appearance since winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Del Mar in early November when he takes on his elders in the Listed Sole Power Sprint Stakes.

“We are looking forward to him starting his season. Unfortunately, he is starting against the older horses, but he is a five-furlong Grade One winner so we have little or no option,” said Lyons.

“It is all about fast ground with him and it will be seldom you will see him on these shores this year, he’ll be doing a lot of travelling and we are working back from the Breeders’ Cup, hopefully we’ll be travelling back to Del Mar with him in the autumn.

“He’s in good order but he is a small little horse and taking on seasoned campaigners with runs at this time of the year, so I just want a positive run from him.”

Magnum Force is taken on by the likes of Bucanero Fuerte and Big Gossey in one of two Listed races on the card, the other being the Owenstown Stud Stakes.