THE first meaningful classic trials of the season looked promising for Aidan and Joseph O’Brien as they mopped up all three stakes races on offer, which featured a fine display from the former’s Hydrangea in the Ballylinch Stud 1000 Guineas Trial Stakes.

A quartet of fillies who had been placed at the highest level last year lined up in this seven-furlong Group 3 and the race looked a Guineas trial of real quality. Hydrangea, who was only beaten a short-head in the Moyglare Stakes before filling the runner-up spot in the Fillies Mile, duly recorded a well deserved first success at pattern level.

This was a victory of special resonance for jockey Padraig Beggy as it was his first at group level and it also provided the rider with his first victory in over a year. In trademark style, the tough Hydrangea (5/1) raced up with the pace from the outset and then took several lengths out of the field turning for home. She was strongly pressed by Rehana as the last furlong loomed but she dealt with her and then held on willingly by a head from her oncoming stablemate Winter. The Moyglare Stakes heroine Intricately was fourth.

“She is a good filly and she had some very good form last year. Padraig is an excellent rider and I thought that he gave her a peach,” said O’Brien. “No doubt we’ll now look at the English 1000 Guineas with her. Wayne felt that Winter just got a little tired and Ryan (Moore) felt that Promise To Be True (sixth) would come on nicely for the run.”

The Ballydoyle trainer fielded a number of strong candidates for the Group 3 P.W. McGrath Memorial Ballysax Stakes and filled all the minor placings, but centre stage went to Joseph O’Brien’s Rekindling (16/1). Although he finished down the field in a French Group 1 on his final start last season, the former David Wachman inmate showed substantial promise on his first two outings and he more than delivered on that potential under Wayne Lordan.

Rekindling, who carries the colours of leading Australian owner Lloyd Williams, looked to be going smoothly as the runners turned for home. Lordan briefly had to bide his time to get a run but, when he got into the clear, Rekindling picked up well against the far rail.

He headed Douglas Macarthur early in the last furlong and defeated that rival by half a length. The Racing Post Trophy second Yucatan was the same distance back in third with the Beresford Stakes victor Capri keeping on for fourth.

“He had been working well and Donnacha was very pleased with him when he rode him in a bit of work last week so I was expecting a good run and Wayne gave him a lovely ride,” remarked Joseph O’Brien. “He looks like a nice staying horse and we’ll probably look at coming back here next month for the Derrinstown Derby Trial.”

RIVALS

Earlier Aidan O’Brien’s Orderofthegarter (5/4) annhilated his rivals in the Leopardstown 2000 Guineas Trial Stakes. This Seamie Heffernan-ridden colt was a wide margin winner of a Naas maiden on the opening day of the season and dismantled his rivals in similar style on his first try at listed level.

The Galileo colt set a brisk tempo and just when his rivals closed up off the final bend, he quickened again to open up a yawning gap over the field.

Stablemate Taj Mahal moved into a clear second with over a furlong to run could never mount a proprechallenge and went down by almost four lengths.

“He’s made nice progress from Naas and he was second to a pair of good horses last season so we shouldn’t be surprised with what he is doing this season,” reflected O’Brien. “He’s in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket and will be left in that but possibly he might be an Irish 2000 Guineas horse.”

Michael Halford could have a lot to look forward to with Irishcorrespondent who made a striking start to his career in the one-mile maiden, which kicked off a treble for Shane Foley. This Ballygallon Stud-owned son of Teofilo was expected to show up well having been returned a well backed 6/1 chance.

Irishcorrespondent quickened up really smartly early in the straight to join the leaders as the last furlong loomed. In the closing stages he swept by Music Box to post a resounding three and a half-length victory.

“He’s a smashing horse and we’ve liked him at home. He has a great attitude and temperament and he has a touch of class about him,” stated Halford. “He shouldn’t have any trouble going another couple of furlongs. After that you’d be thinking of moving up to stakes level.”

FOLEY AGAIN

Foley and Halford also combined to land the mile handicap with Katiymann who looks poised for a decent campaign on the evidence of this comeback victory. The well-backed 3/1 favourite took his time as those up front set a searing pace and, in the straight, he was unleashed with a powerful charge that enabled him to get on top in the last furlong. He crossed the line with a length and a quarter to spare over Fountain.

“That’s his first run for Paul Rooney, who is a great supporter of ours, and I’d say Paul will have a lot of fun with this horse,” remarked Halford. “That’s his ideal ground and trip and it opened up lovely for him in the straight.”

The middle leg of the Foley treble was supplied by David Marnane’s Settle For Bay (16/1) whose last-gasp success in the seven furlongs three-year-old handicap showed that he could be one to keep on the right side of this season.

On the fourth outing of his career, this unexposed son of Rio De La Plata angled out to deliver his challenge a quarter of a mile from home and quickened smartly to grab the Madrid Handicap scorer Gino Severini in the final yards.

“We liked him last year but our horses just weren’t right then,” recalled David Marnane, who trains this gelding for McGettigans Management Services and Maurice Casey.

“I think he will improve and he could step up in trip by a furlong.”

Moore’s FILLY

Pat Martin’s Steelyeyed (16/1) relished her first outing beyond a mile as she picked up the three-year-old handicap over 10 furlongs. The Moore Family-owned filly came here fit following several runs at Dundalk and, having got to the front with over a furlong to run, she kept going well to defeat Hyperdrive by half a length.

“The owners, the Moore family, has been great supporters of mine for a long time and I’m thrilled for them,” remarked Martin. “We maybe questioned her resolution last season but she was probably just a bit backward and she went well when we took her to Dundalk for a mile and a half schooling race a couple of weeks ago.”

Roche suspension

LEIGH Roche was given a seven-day suspension for attempting to weigh out wearing a body protector of unapproved pattern.

O’Brien ban

DONNACHA O’Brien, who rode the runner-up Douglas Macarthur, was given a one-day careless riding ban after the stewards looked into an incident in the straight during the Ballysax Stakes.

ACTING STEWARDS

T. Hunt, L. McFerran, M. Hillman, T.L. Crawford, P.D. Matthews

Horse To Follow

WINTER (A.P. O’Brien): This filly showed up very well in the 1000 Guineas Trial when she was just denied by stablemate Hydrangea. This was her first outing outside of maiden company and there are good races to be won with her.