The aptly named Diego Velazquez could head to Australia for the Cox Plate if continuing to progress following his victory in the Meld Stakes at Leopardstown on Thursday night.
Named for his close resemblance to the artist's famous 'Equestrian Portrait of Philip VI', Diego Velazquez was purchased for 2,400,000 guineas at Book 1 of Tattersalls' October Yearling Sales in 2022 and secured a Group 2 success in the mile KPMG Champions Juvenile Stakes at Leopardstown as a two-year-old. Although the colt managed a fourth on seasonal reappearance in the Group 1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains at Longchamp, he failed to shine in two subsequent starts – finishing down the field in the Prix du Jockey Club before a well-beaten tenth in the Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot.
The Frankel colt started favourite for the Group 3 Meld Stakes over nine furlongs at Leopardstown on Thursday evening and showed his previous level of brilliance, beating the useful Tarawa by seven lengths. Ridden by Ryan Moore, Diego Velazquez was always prominent and raced wide in the early stages of the race before hitting the front before the furlong marker. He kicked clear to the line and immediately earnt quotes of 16/1 for the Irish Champion Stakes with Paddy Power.
In a post-race interview, trainer Aidan O'Brien floated the possibility of a trip to Australia with the quirkily marked colt:
"He ran a lovely race in the French Guineas and then we went to the French Derby with him, Ryan just said maybe over a mile and a quarter we rode him too forward and the pace of the race didn't work out for him.
"We went to Ascot over a mile and a half and we felt very much coming from Ascot that he's not a mile-and-a-half horse.
"He's made like a miler so he's probably an eight, nine or 10-furlong horse. He loved the ground.
"We ran him back quick because we wanted to know where to go with him in the autumn. Ryan said he has all the class in the world and all the speed in the world.
"He could be a Cox Plate horse and we'll see what we do in between with him. He's definitely not short of pace.
"We're delighted with him. He has a lot of options and at least we know now what to do in the autumn. We'll give him a little bit of time now."
Out of the Listed winning mare Sweepstake, Diego Velazquez is a half-brother to Group victors Broome and Point Lonsdale.
