TRAINER Joseph O’Brien was the headline act, sending out a treble on day two of Irish Oaks weekend.
Trustyourinstinct was the highlight of the three-timer when keeping on late to win the Group 2 1xBet.ie Proud Supporters Of Irish Racing Curragh Cup.
Owned by J.P. McManus, the 13/2 chance led close home under Declan McDonogh for a three-quarter length success.
O’Brien said: “He always runs well here at the Curragh. Stepping up in trip today, I think the race set up pretty well for him. He’s a good horse. We were pretty happy with the trip, to be honest.
“I think Declan quietly fancied him. He’s run great all year and, like I say, particularly here. He’s at his best here. He’s a great servant. Potentially, he could go to the Melbourne Cup. It’ll be an option for him, for sure.”
Winning debut
Star Performer had set the ball rolling when making a winning debut in the Cavalor Equine Nutrition Irish EBF Fillies Maiden.
Sent off 7/2 under Dylan Browne McMonagle, the Mrs Doreen Tabor-owned filly led inside the final furlong for a two-length win.
O’Brien reported: “She came from the breeze-ups. She did a satisfactory trial last month and we thought she’d run a nice race here on debut. It probably set up well for her.
“The thought would be that we’d go for probably smaller steps for now, rather than aggressive steps. She’s a daughter of Sea The Stars and you’d have to like the way she won today.”
Kirkland Sioux formed the middle leg of O’Brien’s treble and the opening leg of a double for Declan McDonogh when making most to win the Racing World 50th Anniversary EBF Fillies Handicap.
Owned by Rectory Road Holdings Limited, the 5/1 chance kept on to score by one and a quarter lengths. O’Brien said: “She’s progressing and gets the mile well. Very happy to win another one with her. How deep the race was, it’s hard to know, but she had a nice light weight on her back.
“There might be something for her in Galway.”
Robson’s Blue finds full Power
ROBSON de Aguiar enjoyed a double on the day. Power Blue stayed on strongly to win the Group 2 Glenroyal Hotel And Shoda Cafe Minstrel Stakes under Rossa Ryan.
Sent off a well backed 11/10 favourite, the Amo Racing-owned colt prevailed by one and a half lengths. De Aguiar said of his winner: “He has been running in tough races like the Guineas. He’s been to Ascot. He’s such a nice horse. He always runs well.
“We think he’ll go to York now for the Group 1 (City of York Stakes). The race for him is over seven furlongs again. The first time he’s met older company and he’s done well. It’s such a pleasure to train a horse like him. He puts his head down and does the maximum he can for you.
“I’d say he is versatile with trip. He can go six, seven or a mile. It depends on the races. He had been running against the best three-year-olds in Europe and he did well.
“I think he deserved the win today and that will get his confidence back. He will stay over seven furlongs at York. That could be a fast seven furlongs and it should help him.
“He can make the running or he can sit in behind. He’s a horse that’s always off the bridle, but he keeps finding every time you ask him.”
Shock winner
Shi Yang had earlier caused a 50/1 upset when winning the 1xBet.ie Supporting Irish Sport Irish EBF Fillies Maiden for de Aguiar, Ryan and Amo Racing.
Making most of the running, the daughter of Blackbeard scored by half a length.
“She’s improving,” de Aguiar said. “She was a little bit timid the first two runs and five furlongs was a little bit short.
“Today, seven furlongs, she’s more experienced and she’s galloped in front. She took the lead and kept on to the line. I’d say seven furlongs around a bend would help her as well. I think if she improves again, she should be able to get her blacktype.”
GER Lyons won the opening 1xBet.ie Proud Partners Of Irish Sport Irish EBF Maiden with 10/1 chance La Tache.
Having been slowly away, the Philip and Norma Richards-owned colt finished off strongly, getting up late for a neck win.
Lyons said of the son of Mehmas: “He’s slow out of the gates. Colin says he’s never going to be any other way. That’s who he is. We even bounced him, which I’d never do at home, since his last run.
“He’s just so laid back. He’s not a five-furlong horse. He’s going to be a grand horse for Philip and Norma Richards. Another horse Keri (Lyons) has bought for them, so another sprinter to look forward to. It’s just taken a while for the penny to drop with him.”
Colin Keane later went on to ride a double as the Paul Flynn-trained I Ready won the James Nolan Bar Kildare Nursery Handicap. Sent off 5/1, the Philip Carney-owned gelding held on close home to prevail by a head.
Flynn said: “He’s a horse that we thought might win an auction maiden. We probably got quite a bit of a high mark for trying to have a go at a few of them. The last day he was coming back off a break and I’d say he just came on from that.”
Foley adds another
Tokyo Tower (6/1) also showed plenty of resolution when making most to win the concluding Final Furlong Podcast With 1xBet.ie Irish EBF Maiden.
Ridden by Billy Lee, the Jack Foley-trained colt scored by half-a-length for owner Donnchadh Doyle. Foley said of the Japan colt: “He was plenty raw the last day. Oisin Murphy rode him and he really liked him. This horse has improved an awful lot from that run and the step up in trip. There was only one place we were coming after the last day he ran here.
“We’ve never hid the regard we held him in. Billy always liked him. He’s ridden him plenty of work and he had been doing everything right and we were very confident coming here.
“A big thanks to Donnchadh. It’s great to be coming to these meetings. We were lucky enough to win the two-year-old race on the last day of the season at the Curragh.
“We had a winner Derby weekend and to have another on Oaks weekend is special.”