Tag Archive for: Curragh

National assignment on the radar for Vintage hero Zavateri

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A trip to Ireland for the Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stakes could be next on the agenda for Zavateri following his hard-fought success at Goodwood on Tuesday.

Following a successful debut at Salisbury in early June, the Without Parole colt sprang something of a surprise when landing Newmarket’s July Stakes last month, but proved that victory was no fluke when bagging a second Group Two success in the Vintage Stakes on the Sussex Downs.

Trainer Eve Johnson Houghton will now look to test her star juvenile at Group One level, potentially at the Curragh on September 14.

“He’s come out of Goodwood great,” said the Blewbury-based trainer.

“He is unbelievable because he thought he’d won his race, he’d switched off and then good old Morris Dancer came for him and you could see him flick his ears, change his legs and almost say ‘oh for goodness sake, come on then!’.

“We’ll look at the Dewhurst but that’s quite a long way off, he’s in the National Stakes too so that would be quite a nice start for him with the timing – National and then Dewhurst.

“He’s fantastic, I’m so proud of him. It’s very, very exciting.”

Diego Velazquez prevails in Minstrel Stakes

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Diego Velazquez showed his versatility in pulling out all the stops to land the Romanised Minstrel Stakes at the Curragh.

Aidan O’Brien’s son of Frankel was winning for the fifth time in his 10-race career, but was tackling the shortest distance he has encountered since making a winning debut over the same course and distance as a two-year-old.

The 11-8 favourite for the Group Two event in the hands of Ryan Moore, he was well away and always in a handy position alongside Adrian Murray’s Irish 1,000 Guineas runner-up California Dreamer.

Moore may have been low in the saddle inside the final quarter-mile but he had a willing ally and although the challengers were queuing up a furlong from home, it was only David Marnane’s 25-1 shot East Hampton who emerged from the pack to lay down a stern challenge in the closing stages.

Diego Velazquez, however, was never headed and even though East Hampton was within a neck at the winning post, the class of the Ballydoyle colt was always keeping him on top.

O’Brien said: “A mile is probably his trip. We were preparing him for Ascot and we had him in the stalls at Leopardstown, but he got upset and had to be withdrawn (from the Amethyst Stakes) and that upset his Ascot plan.

“I wasn’t confident enough to tell Ryan to ride him as forward as he would have liked (in the Queen Anne Stakes) because he hadn’t had a run. They only walked the first half of the race, so it was a non event really.

“We knew he would come forward a lot from then to today and he did well to win today over seven. He’s a brave horse and Ryan gave him a good ride.

“He’s a very well-made horse – powerful, strong, a great walker. Physically as a specimen he’s a tank really.

“We’ll go back up to a mile now for the Sussex or the Jacques le Marois, something like that.

“He’ll have no problem getting back up to nine furlongs or a mile and a quarter at the end of the season.”

One Look is all it takes for Twomey filly to star at the Curragh

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One Look relished a step up in trip when bouncing back to her best in the Curragh’s Al Shira’aa Racing Meadow Court Stakes.

The four-year-old burst onto the scene here at the Curragh in a valuable event as a two-year-old and has been one of Paddy Twomey’s top performers ever since.

She began this season in great form, winning the Park Express Stakes at this track before returning to give Porta Fortuna a fright in the Lanwades Stud Stakes, but was disappointing when last seen in the Duke of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Sent off at 100-30 for her first try at 10 furlongs, she relished the return to her beloved Curragh and served a reminder of her class in the hands of Wayne Lordan to deliver a decisive length success over Dermot Weld’s Azada.

Twomey said: “It was great to come here and win again at the Curragh. She seems to like the Curragh and is a lovely filly.

“Ascot didn’t work out for her, probably on ground quicker than she’d like and a trip as short as she’d want to go.

“She ran over nine and a half furlongs at Gowran last year and we felt on pedigree that stepping up in trip would suit her. She was brave today, she didn’t have the easiest passage through but won nicely.

Paddy Twomey with jockey Wayne Lordan after the victory of One Look
Paddy Twomey with jockey Wayne Lordan after the victory of One Look (Niall Carson/PA)

“She’s won a Group Three with a penalty, so we’re going to have to look at better races.

“She’s in the Nassau, she could run here in the Blandford Stakes on Champions Weekend and races on Arc weekend. We’ll have a think and pick our spots, but she’s a four-year-old now and will probably run more than she has in the past.”

Sir Mark Prescott’s Tasmania, the 5-2 favourite, had to settle for a running-on third.

Sugar Island surprises O’Brien in winning Curragh start

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Aidan O’Brien’s Sugar Island produced a sweet performance on debut to claim the Sycamore Lodge Equine Hospital Irish EBF Fillies Maiden at the Curragh.

With Ryan Moore switching to the daughter of Dubawi following the absence of anticipated favourite Signora, the regally-bred juvenile was sent off at 9-2 for the seven-furlong contest, coming home decisively by half a length.

O’Brien said: “She was really just ready to start off. Ryan said she was green but still won nicely and he liked her.

“She’d have no problem going into a Group race over a mile and you’d like to give her another run before then.

“I thought she’d be still a maiden after this and then we could run her in another maiden. Sometimes it’s easier on them when they can have two runs in maidens.

“She’ll stay a mile and a quarter next year.”

O’Brien and Moore added to their tally with Light As Air in the Hong Kong Thoroughbred Breeders Alliance Irish EBF Maiden, the 1-2 favourite having last been seen finishing well down the field in the King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot.

O’Brien said: “We thought he was a well-handicapped horse. He was unlucky at Leopardstown and was also placed at Navan, but was a bit disappointing at Ascot last time.

“Today we thought he’d win easier than that, but we think there is more to come with him. Ryan gave him a good ride.

“We might give him a little more time now. He’d a tough race there and Ryan said the second horse kept coming with him all the way, but he didn’t lie down.

“He stays well and looks like he could get further.”

Action-packed Curragh Eyecatcher one to follow

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Aidan O’Brien’s Action is bred to be top class and there is plenty to look forward to judged on a debut full of promise at the Curragh.

The apparent second string of three runners for Ballydoyle, the son of Frankel is a half-brother to dual Derby winner Lambourn, so the seven-furlong distance he faced in the opener on Irish Oaks day was always likely to be on the short side.

Having sat in the slipstream of his front-running stablemate New Zealand for much of the way, Action looked to be back-pedalling passing the two-furlong marker, but the penny dropped late on and he was fairly motoring at the line, in the end beaten just a nose and half a length into third place.

Al Riffa makes class count with stylish Curragh Cup win

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Joseph O’Brien’s Al Riffa stamped his class on the Michael John Kennedy Curragh Cup.

The dual Group One winner had played a supporting role in three previous outings this year, finishing third in the Neom Turf Cup in Saudi Arabia and fourth in the Prix Ganay in France before finding the globetrotting Rebel’s Romance too strong Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Stepping up to a mile and three-quarters for the first time, the Dylan Browne McMonagle-ridden 4-5 favourite saw out the trip in some style, rocketing clear late on to claim Group Two honours by five lengths from Shackleton.

Stable representative Kevin Blake said: “That was brilliant, he’s a horse with a lot of class and he was last to first in a National Stakes here in fairness to him.

“No one ever felt that he needed that trip, but it made sense. He was relaxed, Dylan said he was very easy to ride over that trip, he quickened up and it was really good.

“I’d say it’s most likely that he’ll go straight to the Irish Leger from here. There is a possibility of the Group One that he won in Berlin last year (Grosser Preis von Berlin), but I’d say it’s more likely he’ll go straight there.

“The Melbourne Cup is in the minds thereafter. We all know what comes with that but that would be what we’d like to do, if we’re allowed.”

New Zealand and Ryan Moore won the opening race at the Curragh
New Zealand and Ryan Moore won the opening race at the Curragh (Niall Carson/PA)

Odds-on favourite New Zealand led home a one-two-three for Aidan O’Brien in the Juddmonte Chaldean Irish EBF Maiden.

Despite finishing only seventh on his debut at this venue three weeks ago, the Frankel colt was sent on his way the 10-11 favourite to open his account in a race won by Henry Longfellow and The Lion In Winter in the past two years and was soon bowling along in front under Ryan Moore.

He was under pressure from two furlongs down, but kept responding to his rider’s urgings and had just enough up his sleeve to repel his previously unraced stablemate Issac Newton by a nose, with another Ballydoyle newcomer Action – a half-brother to dual Derby winner Lambourn – an eyecatching third.

Of the winner, O’Brien said: “He’s a lovely big horse, he hasn’t a clue what he’s doing yet – he’s massive, the power and the size of him.

“We’ll go gentle and let him come on. He learned a lot from the first day, we liked him before that and he was very green. The first day he was a little bit slow away and you could see him today, he never travelled a yard.

“He’s a big horse and he’s all power. I know he’s not short of speed, but he looks like a big, middle-distance horse.”

The Ado McGuinness-trained Go Athletico (20-1) swooped fast and late under Shane Foley to claim top honours in the €100,000 Kwiff Supercharged Betting Scurry Handicap.

Go Athletico (right) gets up to win the Scurry Handicap
Go Athletico (right) gets up to win the Scurry Handicap (Niall Carson/PA)

“It’s a nice birthday present – I’m the big 60 today,” said McGuinness.

“I suppose class is permanent and form is temporary and he did lose his form big time. He slipped back down and we were very disappointed with him.

“He’s a good horse and he’ll probably pitch up in Galway now in the Ahonoora Handicap, that’s where he’s going to do next.”

Stop The Nation was a 15-2 winner of the Lavazza Sprint Nursery Handicap for trainer Jack Davison and 3lb claimer James Ryan.

“I had a baby boy at 23.59 last night and James Ryan lost his claim there. It’s a real feel-good winner on many fronts,” said Davison.

“He’s a good colt and he’s learning the whole time. He’ll be a lovely horse for the Goffs Million.”

Minnie Hauk makes it a Classic double with battling Curragh victory

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It may have been more solid than spectacular, but Minnie Hauk eventually wore down Wemightakedlongway to avoid a shock and double her Classic tally in the Juddmonte Irish Oaks at the Curragh.

The Frankel filly got the better of stablemate and subsequent Pretty Polly Stakes winner Whirl when landing the Oaks at Epsom in early June and was a prohibitively-priced 2-11 favourite to follow up against six rivals in the Irish equivalent.

Settled in third for much of the mile-and-a-half contest, with fellow Aidan O’Brien-trained runner Island Hopping deployed in a pacesetting role and Oaks and Pretty Polly fourth Wemightakedlongway splitting the pair in second, Minnie Hauk was under pressure to close the gap with two furlongs to go.

Joseph O’Brien’s Wemightakedlongway proved a willing adversary, but the red-hot favourite eventually took her measure and passed the post a length and a quarter in front under Ryan Moore to give O’Brien his eighth Irish Oaks success.

“We thought we’d be sitting second and Dylan (Browne McMonagle, on Wemightakedlongway) got the second position, so Ryan had to make a decision, he was either going to sit second on Dylan’s inside, in behind Wayne (Lordan, on Island Hopping), or pull back out of it in a way that he wouldn’t have been boxed in,” said the Ballydoyle handler.

“Obviously that’s a decision Ryan had to make quickly and it was the right decision. It wasn’t over-fast. We knew Joseph’s filly was a good filly and Dylan gave her a very good ride.

“She (Minnie Hauk) is one of those fillies that you’re probably never going to see the best of until the tempo is very strong and very high. She cruises through her races.”

Minnie Hauk with jockey Ryan Moore after winning the Irish Oaks
Minnie Hauk with jockey Ryan Moore after winning the Irish Oaks (Niall Carson/PA)

Minnie Hauk is the 2-1 market leader for next month’s Yorkshire Oaks with Paddy Power, who also make her the 10-1 joint-favourite for the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

O’Brien added: “The boss (John Magnier) asked Ryan where to go with her and he said to go to the Yorkshire Oaks. The boss said, ‘what about if we give her a break and train her for the Vermeille and give her a French Arc prep?’.

“All those things are open and we’ll see how she is. I think she can do either of those things, but if she’s going to the French trial she’d have to have a couple of easy weeks. Obviously if she’s going to York, she wouldn’t have those couple of easy weeks.

“She had a very easy race today, I’d say. The tempo wasn’t very strong so she should come out of it well. I’d imagine in the next week or so we’ll have a fair idea, but they are her two options.

“Looking at her she’d probably love York. She has a big stride and it’s a Flat track, too. Obviously the boss will decide with Derrick (Smith) and Michael (Tabor).”

Arizona Blaze sparkles in Sapphire Stakes at the Curragh

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Arizona Blaze secured the biggest victory of his career to date in the Barberstown Castle Sapphire Stakes at the Curragh.

Adrian Murray’s charge has run a number of excellent races in top-class company, finishing on the podium in the Norfolk Stakes, Railway Stakes, Phoenix Stakes and at the Breeders’ Cup last season, while just last month he finished a neck second to Time For Sandals in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot.

Also a dual Group Three winner, the Amo Racing-owned Arizona Blaze was a 9-4 joint-favourite for this Group Two assignment and having been positioned on the front end from the start David Egan, he finished off strongly to deny Ed Walker’s hat-trick-seeking British raider Mgheera by two lengths.

Amo Racing supremo Kia Joorabchian said: “We’ve had a tough time at the Curragh. This guy deserved a big win, to be honest.

“He’s been second in a Breeders’ Cup and second in a Group One at Royal Ascot, this was a well-placed race for him.

“The ground was going a little bit softer than he’d like it because he likes really quick ground, but he just handled it very well.

“He’s never run a bad race really. Adrian and Robson (Aguiar) have done an amazing job with him in the past two years.

“I probably have to thank Aidan (O’Brien) for not running a horse in this race!”

Arizona Blaze (left) was a clear-cut winner
Arizona Blaze (left) was a clear-cut winner (Niall Carson/PA)

He added: “The entire team at Amo, whether it’s in the UK or here, needed this little boost. We’ve had a little bit of a tough start to the season, but it’s been good.

“You’re in sport and I’ve been in sport all my life. Unfortunately in football it happens as well. You’re going up for a big Champions League game and you get a hamstring, a knock or something goes wrong. You have to cope with those kind of moments and suck it in.

“This year we’ve had a very big investment in Freemason Lodge and a very big investment across the globe. That investment has to still show itself.

“We’ve had so many injuries this year – one after the other. We had a massive setback just recently with Ghostwriter, who unfortunately had an injury.”

Coral cut Arizona Blaze to 8-1 from 12-1 for the Nunthorpe at York, with Paddy Power 10-1 from 20-1 about the Sprint Cup at Haydock.

Joorabchian said: “We haven’t made any plans, this is a good moment for us.

“Everyone always said every time I came to the Curragh we always seemed to not get a winner, so I’m happy he’s actually broken my duck.

“I think we’ll aim for the Breeders’ Cup. I think he’ll get a Group One somewhere.”

True Love powers home for Railway Stakes demolition

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Royal Ascot heroine True Love showed her male counterparts the way home with a scintillating display in the GAIN Railway Stakes at the Curragh.

Aidan O’Brien had saddled 14 previous winners of the Group Two contest, with Rock Of Gibraltar (2001), George Washington (2005) and last year’s victor Henri Matisse (2024) among them, and it was significant his chief hope this time around was the sole filly in a field of four.

Having filled the runner-up spot on her first two starts, True Love (1-2 favourite) was an impressive winner of the Queen Mary Stakes and followed up in fine style, travelling strongly under Ryan Moore before quickening five lengths clear of stable Puerto Rico with the minimum of fuss.

O’Brien said: “Obviously she’s fast so we weren’t sure she’d get six (furlongs). I suppose we were finding out a little bit about her really.

“She was a Queen Mary winner so it was very hard for Ryan not to ride her. We couldn’t be happier with her really.

“Obviously the Phoenix Stakes would be there for her as well as the Prix Morny and the Cheveley Park. It was a Group Two today and she’d be ready for one of those Group Ones now.”

Coolmore supremo John Magnier was making a rare appearance on track and said: “She’s a good individual and she’s very well bred, it’s the Galileo family.

True Love after winning the Railway Stakes at the Curragh
True Love after winning the Railway Stakes at the Curragh (Gary Carson/PA)

“Somebody told me that this is the first time in 30 years that a filly has won this race.

“There is a real pedigree there and a pedigree like that is like a road map, anything can happen.”

When asked whether he felt True Love could be a contender for next year’s 1000 Guineas, for which she was cut to 16-1 from 25-1 by Paddy Power, Magnier added: “Fingers crossed. It’s no mean feat to win the Queen Mary, either.

“The old breeders used to really think a lot of that race, it started a lot of families.”

Minnie Hauk has chance to join an illustrious roll of honour

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Epsom heroine Minnie Hauk is all the rage to provide Aidan O’Brien with an eighth victory in the Juddmonte Irish Oaks on Saturday.

Alexandrova (2006), Peeping Fawn (2007), Snowfall (2021) and Savethelastdance (2023) are among the Ballydoyle handler’s previous winners of the Curragh Classic and he is responsible for four of the six runners in this year’s renewal.

The undoubted star of the show is Minnie Hauk, who six weeks ago got the better of a thrilling Epsom Oaks duel with stablemate Whirl, a subsequent Group One winner in the Pretty Polly Stakes.

Speaking earlier this week, O’Brien said: “Minnie Hauk has been fine since Epsom, she had a little break and everything has been good since.”

The biggest threat to the odds-on favourite appears to be Joseph O’Brien’s s Wemightakedlongway, who was just over five lengths behind Minnie Hauk when fourth at Epsom and then looked a little outpaced when occupying the same finishing position in the Pretty Polly.

“We are looking forward to running Wemightakedlongway. There is some rain forecast and any rain that falls we think might help her chances,” said O’Brien junior.

Johnny Murtagh, who rode a record six Irish Oaks winners during his illustrious career in the saddle, is represented by Subsonic. The Lope De Vega filly remains a maiden after two starts, but was only half a length behind Minnie Hauk on her on her Leopardstown debut in October.

The field is completed by Fozzy Stack’s 85-rated outsider Bay Colony.

Minnie Hauk and Whirl rematch unlikely to happen this weekend

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Aidan O’Brien said it is unlikely that both Minnie Hauk and Whirl will run in Saturday’s Juddmonte Irish Oaks at the Curragh.

The two were among six O’Brien-trained fillies left in the Classic on Tuesday, with only three other stables possibly being represented.

Minnie Hauk, who got the better of a thrilling tussle with Whirl to win the Oaks at Epsom, is odds-on favourite with the bookmakers to double up this weekend.

The Frankel filly, who had won a trial at Chester prior to gaining Classic success, has been waiting for this, while Whirl has already franked the form by beating the year-older Kalpana in the Pretty Polly Stakes.

Bedtime Story, Butterfly Wings, Island Hopping and Merrily complete the Ballydoyle entry.

“They probably won’t both run, I’d imagine,” said O’Brien.

“We were thinking that Whirl and Bedtime Story might go for the Nassua Stakes at Goodwood over 10 furlongs.

“Whirl came back to a mile and a quarter last time in the Pretty Polly and she was happy over that distance.

“Minnie Hauk has been fine since Epsom, she had a little break and everything has been good since.”

Fozzy Stack’s Bay Colony, Johnny Murtagh’s Subsonic and Joseph O’Brien’s Wemightakedlongway are the other confirmations.

O’Brien also has four of the eight in the GAIN Railway Stakes, including Queen Mary winner True Love.

True Love won the Queen Mary and could take on the boys this week
True Love won the Queen Mary and could take on the boys this week (John Walton/PA)

She would be taking on the colts should she run this weekend.

“It’s very possible that she could go to the Railway,” said O’Brien.

First Approach, Flushing Meadows and Puerto Rico are his others, while Joseph O’Brien could run Green Sense.

Adrian Murray’s Power Blue and the Ger Lyons-trained Learntodoscover are also possibles.

George Baker’s Desert Cop, Mick and David Easterby’s in-form Canon’s House and Mick Appleby’s Kodi Lion are among 19 left in the Kwiff Supercharged Betting Scurry Handicap, for which Big Gossey tops the weights.

Portman hoping to make Rum point at the Curragh

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Jonathan Portman said it was not too difficult a decision to supplement Rumstar into the Barberstown Castle Sapphire Stakes at the Curragh on Saturday.

The five-year-old has already enjoyed a successful season, winning the Palace House at the Newmarket Guineas meeting and the Coral Charge at Sandown.

With Portman keen to stick to five furlongs and not enamoured by taking him to Goodwood, he felt there was little to lose by adding him to the Group Two for €12,000.

“It wasn’t that difficult a decision in the end,” said Portman.

“We felt we’d been banging our head against the wall a bit in good company so we’d made a conscious decision not to spend Mr Ward’s (owner) money on entries – but then he goes and runs such a good race like he did at Sandown to give us a bit more faith.

“Whether it is the right thing is another matter entirely. Otherwise there’s just nowhere else to run him, as we’re very keen to keep him at five furlongs.

“He displayed a good turn of foot at Newmarket and again at Sandown. He didn’t disgrace himself at Haydock or Ascot, either.

“He’s come out of Sandown very well, I know it’s only a few weeks, but it’s all about what other options there were and they were very limited. Only the result itself will tell us if we’re being wise or not.”

There was 20 millimetres of overnight rain at the Curragh which will have been very welcome no doubt and that should not worry Rumstar.

“He won at Ascot on soft last October, but it wasn’t as soft as people say it was. He got away with it there. He’d be fine unless it got silly soft,” said Portman.

Minnie Hauk leads the way in Irish Oaks confirmations

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Minnie Hauk, who got the better of a thrilling tussle with her stable companion Whirl to win the Oaks at Epsom, will face a maximum of eight rivals when she aims to double up in the Juddmonte Irish Oaks at the Curragh on Saturday.

The Frankel filly, who had won a trial at Chester prior to gaining Classic success, has been waiting for this weekend while Whirl has already franked the form by beating the year-older Kalpana in the Pretty Polly Stakes.

Her trainer Aidan O’Brien has not been as dominant in the Irish Oaks as the Irish Derby, but he still holds the record for the most wins with seven, with Savethelastdance two years ago his most recent.

As ever, the main danger to the ante-post odds-on favourite could come from within Ballydoyle. Whirl has been left in, but O’Brien did suggest after she won the Pretty Polly that the big two would be kept apart.

Bedtime Story, Butterfly Wings, Island Hopping and Merrily complete the six-strong entry for the yard.

Fozzy Stack’s Bay Colony, Johnny Murtagh’s Subsonic and Joseph O’Brien’s Wemightakedlongway are the only other confirmations.

O’Brien also has four of the eight in the GAIN Railway Stakes, including Queen Mary winner True Love.

First Approach, Flushing Meadows and Puerto Rico are his others, while Joseph O’Brien could run Green Sense.

Adrian Murray’s Power Blue and the Ger Lyons-trained Learntodoscover are also possibles.

George Baker’s Desert Cop, Mick and David Easterby’s in-form Canon’s House and Mick Appleby’s Kodi Lion are among 19 left in the Kwiff Supercharged Betting Scurry Handicap, for which Big Gossey tops the weights.

Keke provides Lynam with a first a Rockingham

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Keke continued on his upward curve, as Billy Lee rode the winner of the Dubai Duty Free Rockingham Handicap at the Curragh for the second year running.

Lee was successful aboard Amazon Lady for Willie McCreery from stall one 12 months ago and repeated the dose aboard Edward Lynam’s 11-4 favourite who went one better than his second here over six furlongs last month, scoring by a length.

Lynam said: “It’s a race I’ve always wanted to win. I’ve got a nickname as being a good sprint trainer (Fast Eddie) and I’ve never even got close to winning it.

“I trained him for this race and when I saw the draw on Friday, I thought we were in trouble.

“We’ve just brought him along steadily and it’s great to win this race.”

Earlier on the card Dermot Weld’s Juddmonte-owned son of Frankel Sujet (10-1) produced an impressive display to down Aidan O’Brien’s 6-4 favourite Mississippi River in the opening Dubai Duty Free Handicap.

Sujet struck a telling blow at the Curragh
Sujet struck a telling blow at the Curragh (Brian Lawless/PA)

Weld said: “Chris (Hayes) had him in a lovely position throughout. When you are drawn wide here it is important to go and get a position otherwise you will be forced very wide over the nine furlongs, but he got him out and got him over.

“He tracked Ryan (Moore) and the plan was to have a go at him in the final furlong and that is just what he did.

“We’ll see how he comes out of the race and another featured handicap will be the plan for him.”

There was also a smart performance from Slieve Binnian (7-1) to claim the Dubai Duty Free Derby Festival Handicap for David Marnane in the hands of Luke McAteer.

Slieve Binnian (centre) on the way to Curragh victory
Slieve Binnian (centre) on the way to Curragh victory (Brian Lawless/PA)

Marnane said: “Mick (Halford, former trainer) recommended us and I’ve known Paul Rooney (owner) for a long time. He’s one of the real gentlemen in racing.

“He ran really well on Guineas weekend, and we put him away for this. He could be a Galway Mile horse and will need to go up a few pounds to get in, so we’ll see what the handicapper does with him.

“I’d like to have a go at Galway as he jumps smart and travels well.

“He hasn’t had many goes at a mile. He took a while to get going the last day but came home well and sharpened up a lot from it.”

Lambourn toughs it out to land Derby double

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Lambourn extended Aidan O’Brien’s stellar record in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby, as he became the 20th horse to follow up Epsom success at the Curragh with a battling victory over stablemate Serious Contender.

Sent off the 8-13 favourite to repeat his Epsom triumph, Ryan Moore tried to replicate Wayne Lordan’s inspired front-running ride on the Surrey Downs, but met stern resistance from Ralph Beckett’s second-string Sir Dinadan who refused to let Lambourn get his own way in front.

Moore stoked up the Epsom hero rounding the home turn and although Sir Dinadan’s challenge began to wilt, it was Ballydoyle stablemate and King George V Stakes runner-up Serious Contender in the hands of Gavin Ryan who loomed large looking a huge threat.

The Ballydoyle pair began to duel inside the final furlong, but Lambourn proved a willing ally for Moore as his stamina and Classic quality came to the fore to win by three-quarters of a length and earn a place in the history books alongside his sire Australia and grand-sire Galileo who also did the Anglo-Irish Derby double.

Serious Contender finished second at 28-1, with Charlie Johnston’s Epsom runner-up Lazy Griff staying on for third at 14-1.

“He’s a very straightforward horse that gets the trip well,” said O’Brien.

“Ryan was going to be happy if someone came with him as that keeps him focused. He’s a little bit laid-back, a little bit lazy and you could see up the straight he was waiting all the time but that’s him. Ryan gave him a lovely ride.

“Ryan thought he would keep pulling out and he was pricking his ears all the way.

“He could be a King George horse, he could be an Arc horse. He gets the trip well and is very sound and very genuine.

“We minded the second horse for a handicap in Ascot that we thought he couldn’t get beat and then a horse came and beat us that was entered in the King George so it just goes to show what can happen.”