Aidan O'Brien was celebrated as the most successful trainer in the 143-year history of the Irish Derby when Fame And Glory became his seventh winner of the Classic with a thoroughly professional galloping display in the absence of ante-post favourite Sea The Stars at The Curragh on Sunday.
"This time, he had the pace and the ground," was joint-owner Derrick Smith's accurate summary of this latest running of Ireland's premier race. At Epsom, the Montjeu colt had been forced to contend with a fast surface and the lack of a testing gallop, which many believed had let Sea The Stars off the hook.
It was totally different on this occasion. With six of the 11 runners, Ballydoyle sent Rockhampton off in front at a furious pace, with Golden Sword sitting in second, while the John Oxx-trained Mourayan and Jim Bolger's Gan Amhras, took up prominent positions just in behind.
Five furlongs out, it appeared Johnny Murtagh may have been giving the leaders too much leeway, but all changed soon after, as first Golden Sword took it up three furlongs out, and then the 8-11 favourite himself over one furlong out. Fame And Glory galloped clear for a five-length victory that paid a handsome compliment to Sea The Stars and what he had achieved at Epsom.
O'Brien, saddling his fourth consecutive Irish Derby winner, said: "At The Curragh there is nowhere to hide. Fame And Glory's a typically classy horse, and Johnny said he won very snug. He has loads of class, and coming back to a mile and a quarter won't be any problem."
Whether that option is taken up is another matter, however. Ladbrokes, always a reliable barometer in these circumstances, were quoting Fame And Glory 6-1 for the Arc in October, which may well prove a feasible target.
In terms of Irish Derby victories, O'Brien overtook his famous namesake, the incomparable Vincent O'Brien, who died, aged 92, earlier this month. John Magnier, Vincent's son-in-law, pointed out: "But he [Vincent] is linked. All the bloodlines originated with him. He set up Ballydoyle, and Aidan has continued that, and I'm sure he [Vincent] would be very proud."
Sea The Stars is now 5-4 favourite for Saturday's Coral-Eclipse at Sandown Park, which should suit him. In taking second, Golden Sword did far better than at Epsom, reversing the form with Masterofthehorse, fourth this time, by more than 10 lengths. However, the most significant feature was that Fame And Glory had trounced his rivals by five lengths, living up to his home work.
Earlier, O'Brien won the Railway Stakes for the 11th time in 13 years when Alfred Nobel went to the line comfortably clear of several exposed rivals. This was not a patch on the victories of previous Ballydoyle winners of the Railway, such as King Of Kings, Rock Of Gibraltar, George Washington and Holy Roman Emperor, so William Hill's quote of 14-1 for the 2,000 Guineas looked skinny.
A British win came in the Sapphire Stakes, courtesy of track specialist Benbaun, who was recording his seventh win at The Curragh and his first since the 2007 Abbaye at Longchamp. He was saddled this time by Kevin Ryan, who took over the gelding from Mark Wallace, now based in Australia and scheduled to have his first runners there today, at bush track Gunnedah.
Walker sets off at a fast pace
THE Bollinger Series moves on to Musselburgh for the sixth round of the summer with Simon Walker already in a very strong position to win the title for a fourth time. Walker, a leading rider in the Arab racing world, has already won three of the first five races in the series giving him 30 points in total and he appears to have another great chance today on the consistent the Roger Fisher trained Mystified, writes Marcus Armytage.
Vastly experienced, he does have some competition today in the shape of the National Hunt champion amateur, Ollie Greenall who rides Rocknest Island for Peter Niven. Greenall damaged his spleen in a fall at the Cheltenham Festival but it did not stop him. With 14 winners since the start of the new season he is, despite still being an amateur, fourth behind AP McCoy, Richard Johnson and Jason Maguire in the jump jockeys title
Watching Brief by Marlborough
Progressive: Sparkaway (4.15 Pontefract) showed precious little in four starts up to a mile as a juvenile but when stepped up to 12 furlongs on his first start this term at Kempton he looked a much better proposition. Willie Musson's gelding stayed on well in fifth place behind Good Buy Dubai on that occasion and comes from a stable that does well with these late developing types.
Well Weighted: Racing Hero (8.10 Windsor), a 160,000gns son of Montjeu, stretched out in good style to score from a subsequent winner in a Doncaster maiden two weeks ago and may have been let in lightly on his handicap debut.
Moot Point: Mooted (8.25 Musselburgh), dropped 15lb since leaving Roger Charlton's stable, ran a creditable second on his first attempt at today's trip last time at Ripon and may go one better.
Bet of The Day: Tignello (9.10 Windsor) has been running well without winning, but may step up with Ryan Moore taking over in the saddle
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