THE relatively unheralded Deauville upstaged the unbeaten Sanus Per Aquam in the Japanese Racing Association Tyros Stakes to thrust himself to the forefront of Aidan O’Brien’s formidable two-year-old team.
Twelve months ago this seven furlongs Group 3 fell to Gleneagles but prospects of the prize returning to Ballydoyle looked remote as Sanus Per Aquam was returned a heavily backed 1/3 shot to notch up his third victory in succession.
For his part, Deauville came into this race somewhat under the radar off his debut win in the first seven furlongs maiden of the season at Listowel in late May.
For much of the race everything looked to be going to plan for the favourite as stablemate Gleine cut out a good pace and Deauville, who tracked the market leader in third, began to come under strong pressure nearing the straight.
To his credit, Joseph O’Brien’s mount responded well and he started to press Sanus Per Aquam from two furlongs out. The last-named battled hard to maintain the upper hand but he succumbed in the last 100 yards and went down by half a length. This pair were some four and a half lengths clear of the winner’s stablemate Lieutenant General.
“He’s a tough and hardy horse. We thought he was a nice horse going to Listowel and he learnt plenty from that but he gave a few coughs before the Chesham Stakes so we had to miss that and come here,” said Aidan O’Brien, whose charge carries the colours of his breeder Fitri Hay.
“Joseph said he was still green there but like a typical Galileo he stuck his head out and he stays very well. The Futurity Stakes would look the obvious race for him next.”
Earlier thoughts were already turning to the 1000 Guineas after Tanaza (7/4) added the Group 3 Jockey Club Of Turkey Silver Flash Stakes to her stylish win over this course and distance last month.
The Aga Khan-owned filly was among several promising first time out winners in the line-up and she came through this test in fine style to earn a shot at the highest level.
The Pat Smullen-ridden daughter of Dubawi didn’t look to be going quite as well as some of her rivals at one point but she picked up in fine style in the straight and joined the favourite Alice Springs heading into the last furlong.
Tanaza soon got to the front and then kept on well to the line to score by a length and a quarter. The Gowran maiden winner Turret Rocks was a further length and a half away in third.
“That was a very good performance and she’d appreciate a little more ease in the ground than she had this evening,” reflected Weld.
“She’s got a lot of class and plenty of pace. She’s bred to stay well but she has a lot of gears. She will have one more run this season and that will be in the Moyglare Stud Stakes in September.”
John Oxx sent out his first juvenile winner of the season as the well backed Corstorphine (10/1-5/1) made all in the Frank Conroy EBF Maiden over a mile.
This Thomas Barr-owned son of Sir Percy finished eighth behind Sanus Per Aquam but produced an altogether better performance under Declan McDonogh. Corstorphine he answered his rider’s every call in the straight to contain the persistent Whiskey Zulu by half a length.
“He’s a professional colt. I thought that he’d be placed the first day he ran but he ran no sort of race,” declared Oxx. “He’d been working well since and I thought that he’d be in the money today. He’s a good, genuine type who stays this trip well and we’ll put him in something better now and see how he gets on.”
A crack at Tuesday’s Topaz Mile or a maiden hurdle the following afternoon is next for Castle Guest who bounced back to form in the 10-furlong rated race to record his first victory since November 2013.
In the colours of Michael Halford’s stalwart patron Paul Rooney, Castle Guest (9/1) denied the odds-on Salthouse an opportunity to deliver a challenge heading towards the final furlong.
While the latter couldn’t recover having lost valuable momentum, the Shane Foley-ridden winner was in full flight and collared Xebec in the last 150 yards to prevail by half a length. Salthouse had to settle for fourth but remains one to follow.
“There was plenty of pace on, which suited him and he’s a very genuine horse and this is probably his ideal trip,” remarked Halford. “We’ll see how he is before deciding what way to go next week.”
David Marnane’s Pullman Brown had little difficulty justifying 5/2 favouritism in the 10-furlong handicap. The Global Equine Syndicate-owned winner had suffered a couple of narrow defeats in his recent outings but he surged clear of Aurelia Cotta in the last furlong to score by four lengths.
“He’s learning his game and is still a bit immature but he’s settling well and finished off his race well,” stated David Marnane. “His brother in America is a Grade 2 winner but he didn’t get going until he was four and this horse could be similar. He will be going to the horses in training sale in October.”
Hurricane Sky (100/30), who had shot up 12lb in the weights for his last two outings, kept pace with his rise up the ratings by landing in the four runner mile and three-quarters handicap.
The J.P. McManus-owned and Charles O’Brien-trained gelding picked up nicely for Fran Berry to strike the front inside the distance and he defeated the front-running Benkei by two and a quarter lengths.
Knights Templar (8/1), who could turn out again at Galway, notched up his second victory of the season in the apprentice handicap over a mile.
The previous week’s winner Korbous made his bid for victory entering the last furlong but he was almost immediately joined by the Conor Hoban-ridden Knights Templar.
This pair then went toe to toe over the last 200 yards with the bobbing finish going the way of Pat Flynn’s vastly experienced eight-year-old.
ACTING STEWARDS
C. Cunningham, R. Hall, L. McFerran, R. Ryan, P.D. Matthews
HORSE TO FOLLOW
LIBYAN PEACE (K.J. Condon): This Bushranger colt ran well on his debut to be beaten less than three lengths into fourth in the maiden won by Corstorphine and he should have no trouble building on this in the coming weeks.
After the first race the stewards interviewed clerk of the course Lorcan Wyer, racecourse manager Pat Keogh and racing and operations manager Nessa Joyce having seen two horses lose their action crossing the roadway shortly after the start. All concerned agreed that there was an issue with the road crossing and stated it was presently the number one priority for the track to rectify. They outlined potential remedial plans subject to engineer reports.