Vadeni, Bay Bridge Match Up in Tattersalls Gold Cup

The late inclusion of Vadeni  at a supplementary cost of €45,000 adds an extra bit of spice to a Tattersalls Gold Cup (G1) that was already tasty with Bay Bridge and Luxembourg  set to clash. Now the May 28 race is a race to savor.

The starting point has to be the French ace, Vadeni. He had a terrific 3-year-old campaign in 2022, ticking off the Prix du Jockey Club (G1) and the Coral-Eclipse Stakes (G1) at Sandown before meeting all sorts of trouble in the Irish Champion Stakes (G1) at Leopardstown.

He concluded his campaign with arguably his best effort when getting within half a length of Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1) glory. He could not get by the brave Alpinista  in finishing second.

Vadeni reappeared in the Prix Ganay (G1) at ParisLongchamp last month along with Bay Bridge. Neither won, but you got the sense neither were primed to win that day.

Vadeni made some late headway out wide to be beaten three lengths into fourth, while Bay Bridge was a length and a half ahead of him in third. When they clashed last season, Vadeni was much too good in the Eclipse but Sir Michael Stoute's charge was fizzy in the early stages there and his effort fizzled out.

That was not the real Bay Bridge. The real Bay Bridge was the one who stole the limelight from Baaeed  in the Champion Stakes (G1) at Ascot in October. That was him at his best, holding on bravely to beat Adayar  by half a length.

Richard Kingscote is unbeaten on Bay Bridge from two rides. Ryan Moore knows Bay Bridge inside out but his commitments to Ballydoyle mean he will be reunited with Luxembourg. You would love to know which he would have ridden if given the choice.

Aidan O'Brien, who is chasing a 10th win in the race, has never hidden his admiration for Luxembourg and it would be foolish to read too much into his return in the Mooresbridge. He was a late drifter in the market and ran like he needed the run.

This quicker ground will be more to his liking and we saw just how good he was when he put it all together in last year's Irish Champion Stakes. He does, however, have more to prove than Vadeni and Bay Bridge, a 10-furlong specialist.

The Prince of Wales's Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot remains Vadeni's main aim but trainer Jean-Claude Rouget thinks he needs more match practice.

He has never had a runner at the Curragh but reports Vadeni to be ready for his next assignment after a respectable return when fourth in the Prix Ganay last month.

Rouget said: "Vadeni worked well on Monday and everything is in order for the weekend. I think Ascot was a bit too long to wait for his second run as he gets better with racing. This race became an option and although it means traveling, he needs to run."