AIDAN O’Brien and Ryan Moore recorded a treble at the Curragh on Sunday afternoon, led by Diego Velazquez’s feature race win in the Group 2 Romanised Minstrel Stakes. A dual group winner at the end of last season, the Smith, Magnier, Tabor, Westerberg and Brant-owned colt was withdrawn on his planned seasonal return in May, before disappointing in the Queen Anne Stakes.

The Frankel four-year-old was sent off 11/8 favourite when dropping back to seven furlongs on Sunday and took close order in second, with Moore asking him to quicken from three furlongs out. Ridden passing the two-furlong pole, he led before the final furlong and picked up well to deny a fast-finishing East Hampton (25/1) by a neck.

“A mile is probably his trip,” O’Brien said. “We were preparing him for Ascot and we had him in the stalls at Leopardstown, but he got upset and had to be withdrawn (from the Amethyst Stakes) and that upset his Ascot plan.

“I wasn’t confident enough to tell Ryan to ride him as forward as he would have liked (at Ascot) because he hadn’t had a run. They only walked the first half of the race, so it was a non-event really. We knew he would come forward a lot from then to today and he did well to win today over seven.

“He’s a brave horse and Ryan gave him a good ride. We’ll go back up to a mile now for the Sussex or the Jacques Le Marois, something like that. He’ll have no problem getting back up to nine furlongs or a mile and a quarter at the end of the season.”

Super sub

Moore switched to Ballydoyle’s well-bred newcomer Sugar Island in the opening Sycamore Lodge Equine Hospital Irish EBF Fillies Maiden, after her more experienced stablemate Signora was declared a non-runner. The 9/2 chance proved a more than capable substitute, obliging by half a length from Fozzy Stack’s debutante Saint Agatha (9/1)

On the Westerberg and Coolmore-owned juvenile, O’Brien commented: “She was really just ready to start off. Ryan said she was green but still won nicely and he liked her. She’ll stay a mile and a quarter next year. She’d have no problem going into a group race over a mile and you’d like to give her another run before then.”

Well-treated

Light As Air brought up the O’Brien/Moore treble when justifying 1/2 favouritism in the Hong Kong Thoroughbred Breeders Alliance Irish EBF Maiden. Owned by Paul Smith with Coolmore partners, the 88-rated colt stayed on close home to beat Winston Junior by half a length.

O’Brien said: “We thought he was a well-handicapped horse. He was unlucky at Leopardstown and was also placed at Navan but was a bit disappointing at Ascot last time. Today we thought he’d win easier than that, but we think there is more to come with him. Ryan gave him a good ride.

“We might give him a little more time now. He’d a tough race there and Ryan said the second horse kept coming with him all the way, but he didn’t lie down. He stays well and looks like he could get further.”

PADDY Twomey and Wayne Lordan teamed up to win the Group 3 Al Shira’aa Racing Meadow Court Stakes with One Look, in the colours of the Connolly Racing Syndicate. A Group 3 winner over a mile earlier this season, the four-year-old was sent off 100/30 on her first attempt over 10 furlongs, but had to overcome a delayed challenge while waiting for room at a vital stage.

Once in the clear, the daughter of Gleneagles quickened smartly to beat Azada by a length, while Sir Mark Prescott’s raider Tasmania (5/2 favourite) finished strongly in third. Twomey said: “It was great to come here and win again at the Curragh. She seems to like the Curragh and is a lovely filly. Ascot didn’t work out for her probably on ground quicker than she’d like and a trip as short as she’d want to go.

“She was brave today and didn’t have the easiest passage through but won nicely. She’s won a Group 3 with a penalty so we’re going to have to look at better races. She’s in the Nassau, she could run here in the Blandford Stakes on Champions Weekend and races on Arc weekend. We’ll have a think and pick our spots but she’s a four-year-old now and will probably run more than she has in the past.”

Surprising stamina

The Jessica Harrington-trained Lady In Paris (11/4) justified strong support to win the Kwiff: Home Of Supercharged Betting Handicap under Shane Foley. The John Kirkland-owned three-year-old stayed on strongly close home to beat Glen To Glen two and a quarter lengths.

Harrington said: “She ran really well here on Derby weekend when she was third and that was against the older horses. It’s extraordinary that she gets a mile and a quarter well, being by Blue Point out of a Kyllachy mare. She could go up to a mile and a half on that showing because they went a good gallop and she outstayed all of them.”