BLESSED with beautiful weather, Ballylinch Stud Classic Trials Day offered fans an opportunity to see some exciting prospects in the flesh, and few were as impressive physically as Delacroix (4/7 favourite).
Aidan O’Brien’s beautifully-bred charge boosted his Derby credentials with an all-the-way win in the Group 3 P.W. McGrath Memorial Ballysax Stakes on his seasonal return.
Beaten a nose in the Group 1 Futurity Trophy when last seen, Ryan Moore’s mount stepped up to 10 furlongs for the first time and looked the likely winner from two furlongs out.
The Coolmore homebred was pushed out to score by two and a quarter lengths, while stablemate Lambourn finished well in second, a length and a quarter ahead of Tiberius Thunder.
“He was always babyish, and he still is babyish, but he is growing up,” O’Brien commented. “He’s going to be a lovely horse, he’s classy. Racing will only help him and he’ll improve plenty fitness-wise.”
O’Brien confirmed that Delacroix will return to Leopardstown for another run, before lining up in the Epsom Derby, for which he is now 10/1.
Destination unknown
Plans appear more fluid for Henri Matisse (6/4 favourite), with O’Brien still unsure of which Guineas he will go for, though he shortened to 12/1 for the Newmarket classic after coming with a late dash to win the Ballylinch Stud “Red Rocks” Stakes.
Arizona Blaze (7/4) set a brisk pace in the seven-furlong Group 3, while Ryan Moore settled the Coolmore and Merriebelle Farm-owned favourite towards the back of a spread-out field.
He had just one rival behind him approaching the two-furlong pole, but soon gained on the leaders and ran on strongly between horses to lead close home.
The winning distance was half a length, with Comanche Brave outrunning odds of 22/1 in second, while the longtime leader kept on in third.
“You’d have to be very happy with him,” O’Brien commented. “Our horses are only doing half-speeds at home; they haven’t been let down yet. Ryan said he’d definitely be more comfortable going a mile.
“We couldn’t let them all go to the Guineas first time out. They were probably only ready for a racecourse gallop rather than a run.”
Treble up
Serious Contender also led late-on under Moore to complete a treble for Ballydoyle in the 1888 Restaurant Handicap. The Coolmore homebred tracked the leaders, but it looked like Glen To Glen and Gabriella Hill may have stolen the advantage early in the straight.
Moore’s mount only seemed to get the message approaching the final furlong and ran on well to score by half a length, while stablemate Light As Air flew home under Jack Cleary to nab second from the longtime leader. The stewards found Hill in breach of overuse of the whip and, having considered her clean record, suspended her for two racedays.
DERMOT Weld and Chris Hayes enjoyed a smart double on the card and, perhaps more significantly, both winners look destined for bigger things.
The Irish 1000 Guineas, specifically, is being considered for Swelter (6/1) after the Juddmonte homebred made it two from two in the Ballylinch Stud “Priory Belle” Stakes.
A smart debut winner at the track last July, the daughter of Kingman dropped down to seven furlongs on return and raced in midfield in the early stages. Pushed along as they turned for home, she was switched right at the two-furlong pole and ran on well to lead inside the final furlong.
She kept on to win by a length and a quarter from the 5/6 favourite Exactly, while the Joseph Murphy-trained Cercene (28/1) made an impression in third, finishing strongly after suffering a troubled passage.
“It was a good renewal of the race, I’d say, and a very competitive Group 3,” the winning trainer noted. “I was delighted with her because it was only her second start. My concern was that seven might just be a little bit sharp for her, but my reason for running her was that she’d learn a lot from it and it’s a lovely track for a filly to learn on.
“I thought she came home very nicely. We’ll see how she comes out of the race, but my present thought would be that I see her being an Irish 1000 Guineas filly; I don’t see her going to Newmarket, and that she’ll probably get 10 furlongs as the year progresses.”
Bred to be special
Weld and Hayes had won the opening “Look De Vega” At Ballylinch Stud Fillies Maiden with the 4/7 favourite Tarima. Closely related to triple Group/Grade 1 winner Tarnawa, the Aga Khan homebred lived up to the market’s expectations by coming from last to first and leading by a length and three quarters on the line.
Noli Timere (12/1) finished second, three parts of a length in front of longtime leader Made U Blush (18/1). Appropriately, the winner is by Lope De Vega, who stands at Ballylinch Stud and is the sire of their latest recruit, Look De Vega.
“She’ll learn a lot from it,” Weld commented. “Chris hadn’t planned to sit quite so far back on her, but it was actually a blessing in disguise, because it meant that he was able to teach her more between horses.
“Hopefully she develops into a stakes filly and getting blacktype will be the next plan. Whether she could be an Irish 1000 Guineas filly must be considered, or should we look at 10 furlongs with her, but that will be decided in the coming weeks.”
OWNER Dan Kiely enjoyed a fruitful day, as Carla Ridge (Eddie & Patrick Harty) outran big odds with a fine fourth in the fillies’ Group 3, while Dark Viper (5/1) gained a well-deserved win in the mile handicap for Jessica Harrington and Shane Foley.
The 19-race maiden came into the race off the back of a promising second on his seasonal return over six furlongs at the Curragh, and went one better on Sunday, scoring by three parts of a length.
“I’ve had cheekpieces on, I’ve had blinkers on, but he did it today with nothing,” Harrington said with a smile.
“He might just creep up through the ranks now that he’s got his head in front.
“There’s nothing like having a patient owner!”
The stewards found that Dylan O’Connor, rider of the third horse Expound, used his whip with excess frequency and was suspended for three racedays.
Life in the old horse yet
Shane Foley completed a double aboard the Dick Donohoe-trained Brains in the finale, a 0-60 handicap over a mile.
After a fruitless campaign in Dundalk, the blinkered nine-year-old was backed from 11/1 to 4/1 and travelled strongly turning for home.
Pushed along to lead a furlong and a half out, he ran on gamely to prevail by a head on the line.
Donohoe described the 14-time winner as “a real pet of a horse.”
The trainer added: “He’s still enjoying life even after all the miles that he’s put up over the years.
“We’ll go on for the summer with him and I’m delighted for Paul (Sweeney, owner) who is a gentleman to train for.”