Moyglare Stud Stakes (Group 1)

AIDAN O’Brien began the day outlining concerns over an underlying “very low-grade infection” running through his string, but Sun Goddess proved she remains in absolutely rude health when putting up a blockbuster performance in the Moyglare Stud Stakes - her second Group 1 triumph of the year.

The master of Ballydoyle hasn’t been afraid to run his Phoenix Stakes heroine this term, racing her for the seventh time in close to four months here, and she has been improving with each outing. What looked a smart Irish Champions Festival contest on paper before turned into a rout.

The Sioux Nation filly, well backed late as the 4/7 favourite, ran riot by six and a half lengths under Ryan Moore, beating Debutante Stakes winner Green Empress into second (that 3/1 shot appeared to hang left through the closing stages). Sun Goddess, representing the Coolmore partners, now tops the market at 3/1 for next year’s 1000 Guineas.

O’Brien, winning the Moyglare for a record-extending 12th time, said: “She looks a freak - everything she’s done has been freakish.

“She went up to seven furlongs today in easy ground. Our other filly [Alpha, disappointing in fifth], we felt, wanted a mile. This filly we weren’t even sure would stay, but there was only one place we were going to find out.

“It’s a seriously important race. Ryan was very patient on her. She’s a big powerful, strong, filly by Sioux Nation and it looks like Sioux Nations are really taking off. He was a sprinter himself but it looks like they are going to stay as well, which is very unusual.”

Asked about whether the Prix Marcel Boussac could be an option before the Breeders’ Cup, the trainer added: “I think so. Obviously the Cheveley Park is there in two weeks’ time. She’s coming out of her races like she’s not having races. She has an awful lot of natural class.

“She’s a very big filly and you’d imagine looking at her she should be a way better filly next year. She’s just natural really, very unusual.”

On the health of his string, he elaborated: “For the last couple of months we've been fighting a very low-grade infection through the whole yard, two-year-olds and three-year-olds. It pops up every now and then in their bloods and scopes and disappears.You can’t be sure where it is.

"Before we run every horse, they're blooded and scoped to make sure they're perfect, but you don't know. It was unusual that Christmas Day coughed on the way to the start in the St Leger on Saturday. There’s a little think lurking that we have to be careful with.”