Keeneland Phoenix Stakes (Group1)

AN ethereal display which marked him out as this year’s singular juvenile talent saw Little Big Bear annihilate a quality line up in the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes with one a display that will live long in the memory.

Aidan O’Brien had won this race on 16 occasions in the past but quite possibly he has never saddled a more impressive winner of this contest. The trainer’s George Washington won the Phoenix by eight lengths back in 2005 but given the quality of opposition facing Little Big Bear this was a performance that had it all and there was a genuine wow factor about what took place last Saturday afternoon.

In recent decades the likes of Manntari and Pinatubo have posted wondrous efforts in Group 1 company at this track and this was a performance to match those displays. The latest running of the Phoenix was low on quantity but high on quality with Little Big Bear squaring off against the Coventry Stakes hero Bradsell and the July Stakes victor Persian Force.

Such was the calibre of opposition taking on the No Nay Never colt that he didn’t even go off favourite as he looked to build on a hugely impressive display in the Anglesey Stakes last month.

Straightforward

This race couldn’t have been any more straightforward for the 13/8 chance. He broke alertly for Ryan Moore to show in front from the outset whereas Bradsell took a little stumble coming out of the stalls which briefly left him on the backfoot. This early drama didn’t detract from the climax of the race as both Bradsell and Persian Force loomed up menacingly on the inner of the winner over a quarter of a mile from home.

Electric

Interestingly though Ryan Moore had yet to ask his mount for anything like maximum effort and when he asked Little Big Bear to quicken the response was electric. The Ballydoyle colt surged clear in a style that was both brilliant and effortless to reach the line some seven lengths clear of Persian Force, with Bradsell back in third.

Unfortunately, Bradsell’s trainer Archie Watson reported that he will not run again this season due to an injury he picked up in the race. O’Brien has since earmarked the National Stakes for Little Big Bear.

“We did have a scare with him today as he kicked a wall when he came up here and the clip of the shoe went into the sole of his foot,” said the Ballydoyle trainer. “It would be like you pulling your fingernail off and he was tender on it but we put the shoe back on him and John Halley and Lynn Hillyer discussed it and they were happy to let him run. It was a big scare but thankfully he got to run.

“Little Big Bear is a big, powerful colt and he’s able to quicken as he showed there and he got a great ride from Ryan who said once he let him go the race was over. He’s been progressing lovely with every run.He’s a colt with a lot of speed and power and class and has lots of options.”

Loughnane’s Bears goes in again

GO Bears Go enjoyed another memorable visit to the Curragh as last year’s Railway Stakes hero produced a tremendously brave display from the front in the Group 3 Rathasker Stud Phoenix Sprint Stakes.

David Loughnane’s charge, who is owned by Amo Racing and Omnihorse Racing, blazed a trail under Rossa Ryan but looked vulnerable when the highly progressive Ano Syra loomed upsides with over a furlong to run. The 11/4 favourite came into his own when the chips were down though and this doughty competitor dug deep to move away again in the closing stages and defeat his aforementioned rival by a length and a quarter. This was the winner’s second Group 3 success of the season.

“He maybe doesn’t have the same level of ability as some of the horses he runs against but he loves a battle, he’s a terrier,” remarked Loughnane.

“The plan at present is for him to head to Kentucky Downs on September 10th for a valuable turf sprint and then maybe he will come back for the Foret on Arc Weekend.”

Paddy Twomey has a smart type on his hands in Shelton who progressed very nicely from a midfield finish on Oaks Weekend to take the Loder Irish EBF Fillies Race over seven furlongs.

The Martin Schwartz-owned daughter of Mehmas was always well placed on the heels of the leading pair for Billy Lee and it was all starting to look ominous for her rivals as she moved up to dispute the lead inside the final quarter of a mile. Shelton (4/1) was soon showing in front and she got to the line a length and a half ahead of Basil Martini.

“She’s a nice filly and I was hoping she’d run a nice race with the benefit of that first run behind her. She’s in the Debutante and the Moyglare and Billy said she’ll have no trouble stepping up in class but we’ll just see how she comes out of this and then make a plan,” stated Twomey. Johnny Murtagh was eyeing a quick return to action in this afternoon’s Curragh Stakes for Wave Machine after she opened her account in the John Ormonde Gallop & Arena Construction Irish EBF Maiden over six furlongs.

This Nick Bradley Racing Club-owned daughter of Shalaa lined up off two good placed runs which saw her returned the 5/2 favourite.

After looking on from second for Ben Coen, Wave Machine took over in front over a furlong out and always looked to be in control.

Bold Lad aim for Gordon Bennett

Dick Brabazon could have a lively candidate for Irish Champions Weekend honours as an on song Gordon Bennett (7/4) booked his place in next month’s Bold Lad with a dominant display in the Donohue Marquees Handicap over six furlongs.

The Out All Night Syndicate-owned gelding may not have enjoyed the best of luck over the last year but things have fallen into place for him lately and he followed up a recent win in Naas with a decisive display.

Gary Carroll produced the top weight with his effort close to the stand’s side rail and Gordon Bennett ran right away from his rivals over the last furlong and a half to score by three and a half lengths.

Another horse who surely has the Bold Lad on their agenda is Big Gossey who landed that six figure pot last September and won his first race since then in the AK Bets-sponsored five-furlong handicap.

The 15/8 favourite moved through this race at his ease for Danny Sheehy and cruised to the front over a furlong out for a cosy two-length win over Screen Siren. Charles O’Brien trains the five-time winner for the Allegro Syndicate.

Joseph hits big landmark

JUST over six years after sending out his first winner as a trainer Joseph O’Brien reached the landmark figure of 1,000 victories and he did so courtesy of a colt, Al Riffa, who could soon be adding to his remarkable big-race haul.

To reach such a tally in a relatively short space of time represents an astonishing feat from O’Brien who has seamlessly followed the path trodden by his father in making the extraordinary look utterly routine.

A debut second at this track last month made Al Riffa the one to beat in the seven-furlong John Ormonde Wexford Sand Irish EBF Maiden and the Jassim Bin Ali Al Attiyah-owned colt turned a performance to match his position as the 1/2 favourite. Al Riffa produced a really smart turn of foot for Dylan Browne McMonagle to surge away from his rivals inside the last quarter of a mile and ran out a smooth length-and-a-half winner over the eye-catching newcomer Salt Lake City.

O’Brien then set about his next 1,000 winners by sending out the 88-rated In Ecstasy to land the Sheehy Motors Volkswagen Handicap over a mile.

This White Birch Farm-owned son of Caravaggio was returned at 10/1 for his first outing since March and was making just his second appearance on turf having won twice at Dundalk in the winter.

Declan McDonogh’s mount launched his challenge with over a furlong to run and stuck to his task well to account for the 11/10 favourite Janoobi by a length and a quarter.