Goffs Vincent O'Brien National Stakes (Group 1)

JOEY Sheridan crowned the most successful season of his career by riding his first Irish Group 1 winner in the Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stakes aboard a wildly impressive Folsom Blues - leading home a 1-2 for Joseph O’Brien.

Many expected the winner’s once-raced stablemate Monogram (9/4 favourite) to claim top honours in the seven-furlong highlight, but it was the Al Shira'aa Racing home-bred who delivered a devastating performance on his first start since chasing home Sun Goddess in the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes.

Six lengths was the margin of victory for the Blue Point colt, with main market fancies Giant Sequoia and Dr Rascal disappointing in sixth and fifth respectively.

O’Brien said: “I didn't expect him to win so impressively but we felt we were coming here with two really nice colts. They both had very good preparations, obviously different preparations, and the winner looked really, really good today.

“It really was top-class form and we've had a big opinion of the horse all along. He put it all together today. I'm delighted for Kieran [Lalor] and all the Al Shira'aa Racing team.

“There is a big team of people there and it's a real privilege for me to have their support and to be given access to home-breds like this. It's really rewarding and a real privilege for us to have a Group 1 winner with them. It was a great ride, very cool and executed perfectly.”

On what lies ahead, the winning trainer added: “I suppose the Dewhurst would be an obvious stepping stone. We had America in the back of our mind as well, before this race. I suppose it would be along those lines. He's a good horse. Dropping him back to six was probably a big thing to ask him [last time] and he ran great. He loved coming back to seven.

“I thought it was a great run from Monogram too, just a bit of inexperience told through the middle of the race but he hit the line really strong. He's very exciting for the future.”