IT promised to be a defining night for several high profile members of Aidan O’Brien’s juvenile team and it could hardly have gone any better, as the victory of Churchill in the Japan Racing Association Tyros Stakes rounded off a treble for the Ballydoyle trainer and Ryan Moore.

Over the course of the evening both Churchill and Promise To Be True came through their respective tests in good style, and Douglas Macarthur showed his debut running to be all wrong. All this means that, once again, O’Brien heads into the pivotal autumn swing with an impressive array of two-year-old talent at his disposal.

Firstly to Churchill, who followed up his Chesham Stakes victory in the Group 3 Tyros Stakes where he was given a stern examination by the Curragh maiden winner Alexios Komnenos. The 2/5 favourite travelled sweetly through the race and eased into the lead for Ryan Moore nearing the last furlong, but just as he did so his aforementioned rival launched his effort. Alexios Komnenos got upsides the favourite inside the distance, but Churchill toughed it out very well to win by a neck. Currency Convertor was a further two lengths back in third.

“He’s still babyish and green when he gets there. He’s just a little immature still,” said O’Brien. “He travelled great through the race and when he got there he just did enough. I’d say the Futurity Stakes will be next for him. We’ve always thought that he was a very good horse.”

Earlier, Promise To Be True (4/6) produced a performance of some style in the Group 3 Jockey Club Of Turkey Silver Flash Stakes. Maybe’s younger sister won nicely on her debut at Tipperary several weeks ago and this effort certainly endorsed her position as a leading contender for the likes of the Moyglare Stud Stakes. Ryan Moore was quite happy to bide his time on the daughter of Galileo and she had just one rival behind her turning for home, at which stage Drumfad Bay and Oh Grace were dueling for the lead.

With imperceptible effort though, Promise To Be True latched on the heels of the leaders and she quickened-up strikingly to seize control of the race in the last 200 yards. She defeated the Naas maiden winner Take A Deep Breath by a length and a quarter.

“She’ll have learnt plenty from that and might be one for the Debutante,” declared Aidan O’Brien. “She’s a nice filly and was very green the first day when I thought she might even be too green to win. She had to come around and come between horses there so this will have taught her plenty.”

progress

Douglas Macarthur (9/10) made excellent progress from his disappointing debut to post a commanding display in the Frank Conroy EBF Maiden. The Galileo colt did everything wrong when sent off at 2/5 for his initial outing, but that experience clearly taught him plenty. He looked altogether more alert on this occasion and set off in front for Ryan Moore. Shortly after the turn in he stretched out into a good lead, which he continued to extend in the closing stages for a five-length triumph over newcomer World War.

“The reason we let him roll along today was that he needed to learn, he was surprisingly green the first day,” remarked O’Brien.

“Ideally you’d like to give him another couple of runs this year and he’ll get a little time before his next run. Maybe something like the Golden Fleece Stakes here on Champions Weekend could be next for him. We knew there was a big engine in there.”

Johnny Murtagh’s outstanding run of form continued into the Morocco SOREC Apprentice Handicap over 10 furlongs, in which Windsor Beach (2/1) scored under Denis Linehan. This Paul Smith-owned son of Starspangledbanner was denied by the narrowest of margins on his second run as a juvenile, but a near two-year absence from the track followed. On several of his runs this term he showed that his turn wouldn’t be long in coming and supporters of the 2/1 favourite hardly had an anxious moment. The pacesetter had this race under control early in the straight and was always maintaining a useful lead over Power Struggle.

“I’m delighted to finally train a winner for Paul (Smith) who has been a great friend of mine for a long time,” remarked Murtagh. “He’s a big horse and it’s just taken a little time for things to click into gear for him. Denis is a very good, young rider and is good value for his seven pounds claim.”

A switch back to good-to-firm ground enabled Michael Halford’s Kadra (4/1) to return to her best in the seven-furlong handicap. On her third outing of the season, the Aga Khan-owned daughter of Holy Roman Emperor gave the impression that she had her rivals covered approaching the last furlong.

Shane Foley then let her strike the front over 100 yards from home and she finished with a length and a quarter to spare over Texas Rock.

“We fancied her the last time but the ground was just too slow for her; she’s a real top of the ground filly,” commented the rider. “Given these conditions, I think she can step up again.”

Tara Dylan then sprang a 25/1 surprise in the one and three-quarter mile handicap, belatedly building on the promise of her debut second last year. In a steadily run contest, the Gary Carroll-ridden filly was going notably well turning for home and she quickened up nicely in the last furlong to brush aside the favourite and top-weight Prickly.

“She’d a cracking first run in Gowran last year but it all went downhill from there and she lost her confidence completely,” declared Tom Mullins who trains the granddaughter of Tarascon for Melvyn Kennedy. “I think the world of her and she’s a good ground filly. Hopefully I have her on the right track now.”

Siamsaiocht (11/8) became the fifth winning favourite of the evening when successful in the concluding 10-furlong rated race. The Jackie Bolger-owned filly was a creditable third to Rose De Pierre at the Curragh on Sunday and showed a good attitude to get on top in the closing stages.

At the line, Kevin Manning’s mount had half a length to spare over Toccata Blue. Jim Bolger indicated that the Group 3 Give Thanks Stakes could be next for his charge.

ACTING STEWARDS

M.P. O’Donnell, N. O’Byrne, M. O’Malley, J. Weld, P.D. Matthews

HORSE TO FOLLOW

UTAH (A.P. O’Brien): He finished sixth in the maiden won by Douglas Macarthur but can be rated a good deal better than his final position would indicate as a clearer run would have seen him finish appreciably closer. It shouldn’t be long before he is winning a maiden.