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Irish Independent
20 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Garden blooms for Aidan O'Brien on first try over a mile and a half in Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot
Having raced handily behind runaway front-runner Island Hopping, Moore produced his mount to lead entering the final two furlongs and the daughter of Saxon Warrior cleared away to win by three and a quarter lengths. The lightly raced Understudy (40/1) stayed on from off the pace into second, with the 2/1 favourite Catalina Delcarpio half a length further back in third. A Listed winner at Naas last time, Garden Of Eden was providing O'Brien with a third consecutive Ribblesdale Stakes, following Warm Heart (2023) and Port Fairy (2024). O'Brien said: 'I was impressed with that. Garden Of Eden is getting better, which is great. We always thought stepping up in trip would help her. We stepped her up to a mile and a quarter the last day and she improved a lot. 'She is by Saxon Warrior and, when they go up in distance, they do get better. The Irish Oaks would be a possibility, but she could also go to America for a Grade 1 over there – we will have to see.' Moore said: 'Garden Of Eden was very impressive. She has been gradually improving. Aidan kept saying every time she steps up, she will get better. 'We went a hard pace and got a bit detached. She kind of dropped the bridle and ran in snatches. Billy [Lee on the favourite] sneaked down the inside but, when I asked her to quicken, Garden Of Eden quickened very well. Just typical Aidan – he keeps making them better." Understudy's co-trainer Thady Gosden said: 'She has run a very nice race there. It was only the third start of her life. She won well at Southwell last time out and it was a change of scene here today. She is a homebred of Bjorn Nielsen's, with a very good pedigree. When they are upped as much in grade that quickly, you're not quite sure how it will go, but we hoped she would run a good race, and she has.' Paddy Twomey said of the third: 'Catalina Delcarpio is a lovely filly and ran a career best. She probably just didn't see out the trip today, but I think when she is a little bit stronger and a little bit older, she will. She is just coming into herself and I think she will be a very good four-year-old. We side-stepped Epsom and races like that on purpose, because I think it was coming too soon for her. I doubt I will run her in the Irish Oaks. Maybe something like a Blandford Stakes on Irish Champions weekend, something like that, over 10 furlongs.'
Irish Examiner
a day ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Garden of Eden blossoms in Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot
Garden Of Eden continued her progress to provide trainer Aidan O'Brien with a record sixth victory in the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot. The Ballydoyle handler saddled three runners in the Group Two contest, with Ryan Moore siding with Garden Of Eden (7-1), who struggled in successive Group races in the spring but raised her game to claim a Listed prize at Naas on her most recent appearance. Island Hopping was deployed in a pacesetting role, but her early exertions took their toll from the home turn, while Garden Of Eden galloped on powerfully up the straight to score by three and a quarter lengths from Understudy, with 2-1 favourite Catalina Delcarpio back in third. O'Brien said: "I was impressed with that, I'm delighted. She's getting better which is great. "We always thought stepping up in trip would help her and we stepped her up to a mile and a quarter the last day and she improved a lot. "She's by Saxon Warrior and when they go up in distance they do get better so she obviously improved for the step up. "The Irish Oaks would be a possibility, but she could also go to America for a Grade One over there, we will have to see." Read More Charles Darwin lives up to his billing in Norfolk Stakes
West Australian
12-06-2025
- Sport
- West Australian
Top filly Storyville out to upstage boys in Saturday's Raconteur Stakes at Bunbury
Classy filly Storyville is predicted to upstage the boys in Saturday's Listed $125,000 Raconteur Stakes (1400m) at Bunbury and is just one of two from the fairer sex in the line-up. The $2.35 TABtouch favourite was last into stride and from her wide barrier, settled back last on the fence at her opening preparation run on May 28 at Pinjarra. For almost the duration of the home straight, she was clambering over heels in front of her but made some noticeable progress through the line, beaten less than three lengths by Luvnwar. This week, she has fared much better in barrier two and should appreciate both the second-up fitness and rise from 1200m to 1400m. The only other filly in this weekend's event is $31 outsider Precious God, who had shown lots of talent but must considerably on her seven-length tenth behind Mt Shirataku at Pinjarra two and a half weeks ago. Storyville's trainers Grant and Alana Williams have shown that girls can beat the boys in this race with their 2021 victor Graceful Girl doing just that. Their previous winner in the race was the 2013 triumphant Western Blaze when the race was held over 1500m for a 10-year period before reverting to 1400m in 2020. The nearest challenger in the Raconteur market is Elite Missile ($5.50), who appreciated a freshen-up to salute on May 24 at Belmont when powering home from the second half of the field. A wide barrier leaves rider Brad Parnham with a conundrum, however, the gelding defeated subsequent winner Pond Master ($8) on that occasion. Elite Missile's trainer Stephen Miller will be looking for another success in the race to follow Variation's 2017 effort. With William Pike sticking with Storyville, the door has opened for Lucy Fiore to pick up the ride on Pond Master, with Pike in the saddle for that May 31 win. Fiore has experienced joy in recent times with pick-up rides and this looms as another prospect, with Pond's Master's recent showing demanding respect. After bombing the start and settling last, the son of Saxon Warrior revealed a sparkling turn of foot to gather up his rivals and win by a narrow margin. Wind And The Lion ($9.50) was a positive first-up second at Ascot last month before being beaten by Pond Master in that Pinjarra event last fortnight. After being unable to find a front-running position, the son of Written By went back to settle three wide with cover before peeling at the top of the straight. But his run was just fair and Pond Master came around him to beat him by more than a length. There will undoubtedly be improvement in the gelding and despite drawing poorly in gate 11, he commands attention. Opportunistic ($9.50) was off the boards to win at his debut on May 28 at Pinjarra when backed from double-figure odds down to $2.90 come start time. He didn't let the punters down, shooting down the outside to win easily by over a length. The So You Think bay must elevate again against these opposition, though he remains untapped. Awesome Boy ($12) was specked and delivered comfortably two starts ago, romping home by three lengths on April 26 at Ascot. But after going off $1.55 at his next start, he failed to convert, and needs to rebound to his previous form to play a part. God's Gate ($14) gave a sight at Pinjarra and although he was headed early in the straight by Sunbronzed, he showed fight to hold second after looking in trouble 500m out. King Hit ($31) grabbed victory in a Bunbury midweek last week and was four and a half lengths behind Elite Missile prior to that, meaning he must lift to threaten. Patron Express ($31) has found Rally The Troops too strong at his last two and loses the blinkers now. He has more to give but hasn't recaptured that earlier promise just yet. One-time winners Ripper Farooq ($41) and More Heroic ($41), who has only had one start, round out the assembly. + Million-dollar earner Cool Archie ($3.70f) leads the betting for the Group 1 J J Atkins (1600m) at Eagle Farm and will look to keep an unbeaten preparation in tact after earlier victories in the Darello, Champagne Classic and Sires' Produce. Prior to that, the son of Cool Aza Beel shed his maiden tag on April 16 at Doomben first-up, breaking his duck at his third racing preparation as a two-year-old. He was purchased for just $100,000 while second favourite Hidden Achievement ($6) was a $675,000 Ready 2 Run buy. The son of I Am Invincible has had just three starts since beginning his career on April 21 for one win and earnings of $100,000. Grafterburners ($8), a son of Graff, was sixth and four and a half lengths behind Cool Archie in the Sires' Produce after being beaten a half-length by him in the Champagne Classic. Ciaron Maher's Navy Pilot ($9), also a son of I Am Invincible, was ironically passed in for a very similar fee to Hidden Achievement at $670,000. He was third in the Phoenix at Eagle Farm last week behind Sunrays. Promising four-year-old War Machine ($3f) leads the call for the time-honoured Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap later on the card adter winning his last two starts. A cosy win in a benchmark 100 event at Caulfield on May 10 was followed by an even easier two-and-a-half length victory at Doomben two weeks on in the BRC Sprint. With Blake Shinn out indefinitely after suffering bone bruising in his foot, Tim Clark takes the reins from gate 13. Golden Mile ($8.50) went down in a thrilling three-way photo finish to Joliestar in the Kingsford Smith Cup last weekend and is the only other runner at single-digit odds. Fifth in that race was Rise At Dawn ($11) and Kimochi ($13) was fourth, while Private Eye ($15) will take on this race first-up despite having had four trials. Rothfire ($15) ran one of his greatest ever races in the Doomben 10,000 when chinned by Sunshine In Paris but the hometown hero gets another chance at feature glory as a seven-year-old. The Instructor and The Inflictor (both $15) are next, while Transatlantic could be a good roughie at $18. Transatlantic was declared a Stradbroke horse last year by trainer Tony Gollan and shot to form when winning the Spear Chief by a length last Saturday.
Irish Times
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Donnacha O'Brien aiming to break Irish classic duck as a trainer with 1000 Guineas hope Atsila
Donnacha O'Brien is set to be double-handed in his attempts to win a first Irish classic as a trainer at the Curragh this weekend. The 26-year-old former champion jockey saddled a classic winner in his first season with a training license after Fancy Blue landed the 2020 French Oaks at Chantilly. During a short but stellar riding career that twice saw him crowned champion jockey, Aidan O'Brien's youngest son memorably landed the 2018 Irish Derby for his brother Joseph on Latrobe. He was also twice successful in the Newmarket 2000 Guineas aboard Saxon Warrior (2018) and Magna Grecia (2019). He also won the Epsom Oaks (2018) on Forever Together. READ MORE Now he's on the classic trail again and plans to have the Athasi Stakes winner Atsila supplemented into the Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas at Tuesday's entry stage. The inexperienced filly only made her debut last month when winning at Bellewstown but subsequently made rapid progress to score at Group Three level at HQ last time out. 'The plan is to supplement her on Tuesday for the 1,000 Guineas. Her form looks strong. To be fair to Barry (Fowler, owner) he is game for anything. It was my fault that I didn't have her in the race in the first place but he's more than happy to supplement and take a chance. I think she's entitled to be in the race,' O'Brien said. He also plans to be represented in Saturday's 2000 Guines through Comanche Brave. He ran Henri Matisse close in a Leopardstown Trial, form that looks outstanding now considering his conqueror went on to French Guineas glory. 'He is working very well and I think he'll probably outrun his odds. He's not a big horse but he's always worked like a very good horse. We're going to give him a chance in the Guineas. 'We could end up going back to seven for the Jersey at Ascot. He's working very well so I'm happy to let him take his chance,' O'Brien commented. The Co Tipperary trainer also plans to bring his star older filly Porta Fortuna back into action at the Curragh's Guineas festival in Sunday's Lanwades Stud Stakes although warned she will strip fitter for the outing. 'She's going to go to the Lanwades. She's in good form. She put on plenty of weight. Everything has gone smooth with her, but she's probably taken a bit longer to get fit this year. 'She's probably going to take the run and then go to Ascot but she's in great form so I'm looking forward to getting her back on track,' he said. In other news, Tuesday's domestic action is in Cork where Paddy Twomey's Royal Entry takes on six three-year-olds in a mile and a half maiden. Runner up at odds on to Queen Of Thunder at Killarney recently, Royal Entry's main threat looks to be Tswalu. She's officially rated 2lbs superior, and didn't have a straightforward passage through her last start at Gowran behind Darzina. Twomey should hold a major chance in the opening two-year-old maiden through Rogue Legend. This one found Oh Cecilia too good on his debut at the track but was well on top of the rest.
