AIDAN O’Brien has won the Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stakes three times in the last decade with winners of the Coolmore Stud Wootton Bassett Irish EBF Futurity Stakes, so Henri Matisse must be considered a major player for the Irish Champions Festival Group 1 after quickening up smartly to maintain his unbeaten record at the Curragh.

Ryan Moore took his time on the Wootton Bassett colt, who had previously won a maiden here and the Group 2 Railway Stakes, and he proved he had no problems with stepping up to seven furlongs for the first time.

It was an impressive change of gears for the half-brother to Group 1 winner Tenebrism, showing too much pace for Tyros Stakes winner Hotazhell on his way to scoring by a length - despite briefly shifting left and losing a little momentum inside the final half furlong.

Owned by Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Merriebelle Irish Farm Ltd, Henri Matisse also put O’Brien out on his own as the most successful trainer in Futurity Stakes history with 17 wins.

“He’s lazy and he quickens; that’s what he was doing over six furlongs and you’d have to be very happy he can now do it at seven,” said the winning trainer.

“He’s green and is still a baby - he swerved when he got to the front. The plan is the National Stakes next.”

Henri Matisse was trimmed to 10/1 (from 12/1) for next year’s 2000 Guineas with Ladbrokes.

Same Story

O’Brien and the Coolmore partners are also eyeing up a Group 1 target at the Irish Champions Festival for Bedtime Story, who didn’t win as flashily as her odds of 1/16 might have predicted but still remained unbeaten in the Group 2 Alpha Centauri Debutante Stakes.

Facing four rivals - three of whom she’d already beaten in the Silver Flash Stakes at Leopardstown last time - the three-parts sister to Yorkshire Oaks heroine Content got on top in the closing stages to strike by half a length under Moore.

While she may not have blown everyone away - eased out to 5/1 (from 3/1) for next year’s 1000 Guineas with William Hill and left unchanged at 8/1 with most firms for the 2025 Oaks - the champion trainer was satisfied with what he saw.

“We couldn’t be happier, really,” said O’Brien.

“We didn’t want to go too fast today and obviously it was a prep for her next run in the Moyglare Stakes. We didn’t want to empty her out today and she still had to get down and race close home.

“When you see her sister [Content] staying a mile and a half while still running free earlier in the week, you’d be hoping this filly will stay further.”

Officer in charge

The Ballydoyle team also struck in the opening seven-furlong Coolmore Stud The Antarctic Irish EBF Maiden when beautifully-bred two-year-old Officer made a winning debut.

By Dubawi and out of the Group 1 Matron Stakes and British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes winner Hydrangea, the 7/4 favourite was half a length too good for main market rival Storm Piece, a Night Of Thunder colt trained by Ger Lyons for Juddmonte.

O’Brien said: “He’s a quick horse and is relaxed. From stall 15, I was worried he’d be out wide from a bad draw on his first start but I’d say he’s a nice colt.

“He’s a good two-year-old, compact and strong.

“I’d say he’ll get further but he’ll be very comfortable at seven for the moment. He has plenty of entries.”

Four-timer up

The day got even better for the O’Brien-Moore-Coolmore combination when Fighter brought up a four-timer on the day in the mile-and-a-quarter Join Racing TV Now Maiden at 6/1.

Carrying the colours of Masaaki Matsushima, this represented a big step forward from the Frankel colt’s previous three runs, seemingly helped by the addition of blinkers for the first time.

Speaking after the four-and-a-quarter-length win, O’Brien said: “We thought he’d win last time at Limerick [when third] but he’s obviously a bit fitter now. Ryan liked him. He might be one for a handicap now.”

RONAN Whelan registered two of the smoothest winners he has recorded this season in the space of 35 minutes at Irish flat racing headquarters.

Debutant Tina’s Indian, a three-year-old colt by Calyx, was well supported from double-figure prices right down to 3/1 favourite in the six-furlong FBD Hotels And Resorts Castleknock Hotel Maiden and made no mistake under Whelan for trainer Mark Fahey.

Carrying the colours of Con Harrington and James Hughes, and bred by Harrington, there was plenty to like about this two-and-three-quarter-length victory over the 73-rated White Clover.

Fahey said: “We love this horse. We think he’s very, very good. I’ve never had a horse of his class before, he does everything so easy. He’s a huge horse, close to 17 hands. His owners gave him all the time he needed and let him develop.

“We were confident coming here today. His homework has been so good. I don’t have too many maiden winners but he was destroying everything I have at home - today is the first time he was ever taken off the bridle. There should be plenty of improvement in him.”

There was a similarly ready winner of the €20,000 Neville O’Byrne Memorial Irish EBF Fillies & Mares Handicap as Whelan barely had a moment’s worry on Ameerat Jumaira (6/1), able to ease down at the line for a length-and-three-quarter success.

Trained by Mick Halford and Tracey Collins for owner Isa Bin Haider, the four-year-old filly was taking advantage of an attractive handicapping scenario, technically racing off just 2lb higher than last time when winning the €50,000 Red God Premier Handicap at Dundalk nine days earlier (had been running from 1lb out of the handicap last time and her handicap mark was set to be dropped afterwards anyway).

Halford said: “She’s an improving filly. We kept her in training thinking this year could be profitable for her. We had this race in mind for a while and we just said we’d give her a run at Dundalk last time to give her a bit of confidence, and she won. She likes a level track.

“You’d have to be impressed by the way she quickened up. We’ll stick her in a few of the handicaps at the Irish Champions Festival and see if we can get blacktype somewhere down the line.”

DANNY Murphy will be hoping a Curragh winner can propel his team into a strong second half of the year, as Ostraka (13/2) brought up the trainer’s second winner of 2024 with a smart performance in the five-furlong FBD Hotels And Resorts Saturday Series Handicap.

The Anthony Challoner-owned filly, ridden by James Ryan, looks well bought at just €9,000 earlier this year and won more convincingly than might be assumed from the three-quarters-of-a-length margin of victory.

Murphy said: “She won here before and has been a bit disappointing but maybe we’re on the up again. It’s great for her owner as this is his first horse. James is a good kid who gave her a nice ride.”

Racing off 3lb higher than his last win at Down Royal wasn’t enough to stop Masoun in the 10-furlong Donohue Marquees Handicap for Johnny Murtagh, Ben Coen and the Aga Khan.

Travelled strongly

The three-year-old, by Too Darn Hot, is from a smart family and travelled strongly to the business end of proceedings before stretching clear by a length and a quarter at 7/1.

Murtagh said: “He’s much improved, a slow developer. I’m very happy with him. It looked a competitive handicap but Ben said he travelled really well and quickened up nicely. Ben said not to be afraid to go a mile and a half with him.”