Punters admit ‘this is frightening’ after hearing Seamie Heffernan’s comments on Aidan O’Brien’s horses

FORGET City Of Troy and Henry Longfellow, Aidan O’Brien’s best two-year-old colt is still yet to run this season.

That’s according to stable jockey Seamie Heffernan, who’s set tongues wagging with his incendiary comments.

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No one except possibly Ryan Moore knows the iconic Ballydoyle man’s yard better than Heff.

And he has lit a fuse by revealing the best weapon O’Brien has in his arsenal hasn’t yet been seen on a racecourse.

An eye-opening statement considering the success of City Of Troy and Henry Longfellow.

The former gave punters ‘shivers’ and was awarded the highest rating in the race’s history after winning the Group 2 bet365 Superlative Stakes in July.

The horse in second that day – some six lengths behind – was Haatem, who won a Group 2 next time out.

City Of Troy was declared for the Group 1 Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stakes at the Curragh on Sunday but pulled at the last minute.

That allowed Henry Longfellow to make it three from three by waltzing to a five-length victory over Islandsinthestream.

Bookies reacted by slashing Henry Longfellow to 6-1 for next year’s 2000 Guineas while City Of Troy remains 5-2 favourite.

O’Brien also has River Tiber (12-1) and recent Leopardstown winner Diego Velazquez (16-1) in his yard.

However, speaking to the Racing Post before the Irish Champions weekend, Heffernan hinted O’Brien’s best two-year-old is still being kept under wraps.

Asked who he would ride in the Newmarket feature, Heffernan replied: “None of them. The best of the lot hasn’t run yet.”

Rumours on social media suggested Heff was referring to Gallantly, who is by Frankel and out of French 1000 Guineas-winning mare Precieuse.

A 33-1 shock under Olivier Peslier at Longchamp in 2017, she also won a Group 3 over a mile at Gulfstream in March 2019.

It is that sort of pedigree that left punters ‘scared’ about how good the horse – who could make his debut on Thursday at Naas – may be.

In reply to Heffernan’s comments, one social media user wrote: “Scary, that.”

While another commented: “This is frightening.”

One post read: “Some statement. I couldn’t sleep trying to work out which one.”

And another said: “If there’s a better two-year-old than City Of Troy then everyone might as well pack up and go home!”

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