IRELAND’S champion operation came to the fore on the opening day of the 2023 Irish Champions Festival, as Aidan O’Brien, Ryan Moore and the Coolmore partners combined for an 80/1 four-timer.

Auguste Rodin’s Irish Champion Stakes strike was undoubtedly the highlight, but the afternoon got off to a bright start when Diego Velazquez made it two wins from two career starts in the Group 2 KPMG Champions Juvenile Stakes.

It wasn’t as impressive a performance as his starting price of 8/15 suggested it would be but the “babyish” son of Frankel still managed to book his ticket for the Group 1 Futurity Trophy at Doncaster next month.

Stablemate Capulet, who stepped up markedly from his debut win at Dundalk to finish a close second, went into the notebook as a bright prospect for the future in his own right.

O’Brien said: “We liked the second horse a lot and we knew we needed something to take [Diego Velazquez] and stretch him a little bit. They didn’t go very fast for the first half and turned it on from halfway, so he learned a lot.

“Ryan was delighted, he said he had to catch hold of him and make him learn. He’s still a baby.

“We were surprised the first day that he ran at the Curragh how babyish he was, he never took a hold of the bridle.

“Today he was green as well, but a lot better. We think this race will leave him in a very good place. I’d imagine he’ll go to Doncaster next.

“We did it with Auguste Rodin last year, but we knew this horse had to learn a lot more today than Auguste did last year.”

River in full flow

Moore was seen at his best when guiding Irish Derby and Grand Prix de Paris runner-up Adelaide River to his first win since a successful Dundalk maiden debut at two in the Group 3 Paddy Power Stakes as 11/8 favourite.

Well placed to make all, the three-year-old by Australia had his lead reduced significantly late on when Al Aasy (9/4) came home well from off the pace for second.

Adelaide River drew comparisons from his trainer to Duke Of Marmalade, who was never out of the first four in six Group 1 starts as a three-year-old without managing to get his head in front, though he made up for that dry spell with five consecutive wins at the highest level a year later.

O’Brien said: “He’s a lovely big horse and we always viewed him as a next year horse. Today was over 12 furlongs and Ryan said if he had a choice of 10 or 14 furlongs [going forward], he’d definitely go 10 on him because he relaxes and quickens.

“We always thought he was kind of like Duke Of Marmalade; he’s after competing in big ones and getting very close in them but he’s such a big horse that he’s definitely going to have to be a way better horse next year.

“He’s after having a few tough races in second so it was nice for him to come here and get his head in front, and Ryan was able to dictate his own pace on him.

“He just got a bit lonely in the last half a furlong. Australia might be a bit soon for him this year, he could go next year.”

Broadhurst bursts through

Easily the most dramatic finish of the day came in the concluding Irish Stallion Farms EBF “Sovereign Path” Handicap when Broadhurst, sent off at 5/1, came from what looked an impossible position to score after trading as big as 249/1 in the in-running markets.

As the leaders reached the furlong pole, the No Nay Never three-year-old was still sitting in last of the 17-runner field but sprouted wings with an impressive turn of foot to break the heart of 9/2 favourite Dunum close home.

If anything, arguably the most taking part of the performance was that the 93-rated performer was able to win by as much as a length and a quarter, given how far back he came from.

“We knew that he was on a very good mark but he wasn’t working well,” said O’Brien.

“We had him trained for the Britannia Handicap at Royal Ascot and then he got injured. Ryan rode him to feel his way. He gave him a chance, they went fast and when they straightened up he took off.

“He did very well to win and Ryan gave him a great ride. I thought seven furlongs around there was his minimum, and he was drawn wide enough [in stall 13], so I thought it was going to be tough.”

Reflecting on the Leopardstown four-timer, O’Brien added: “It’s an incredible day, really. For that to happen is very difficult and it’s a lot of hard work by a lot of people. Ryan is riding unbelievable and it’s a big team effort.”

THE BURGEONING career of trainer Natalia Lupini wrote its biggest chapter yet when her unbeaten juvenile Kitty Rose (SP 3/1) produced a striking performance to land the Listed Ballylinch Stud Irish EBF Ingabelle Stakes under Billy Lee.

It has already been a fine campaign for the Milan native, who trains in Co Down, having plundered the valuable Ahonoora Handicap at the Galway Festival with stable flagbearer Dunum this summer.

However, Lupini acknowledges that she now appears to have come across the best horse she has ever trained in the shape of Kitty Rose, who had too much for warm 13/8 favourite Content.

The Invincible Army filly, who was withdrawn from a breeze-up sale earlier in the year when in the care of Aguiar Bloodstock, scored by two and a half lengths for owners Nigel O’Hare, Gary Devlin and the Kabin Racing Syndicate.

Lupini said: “She’s a big, honest filly who gives it her all. We always thought we had a nice filly on our hands and she’s been very impressive on both her starts.

“The lads are looking at the Guineas - next year she’ll be a stronger filly. She won’t have any problems over a mile. We would like to give her a bit of time in the winter to fill out; she’s a big filly and will benefit from a winter break. I’m looking forward to next year.

“This is a great achievement for everyone, for the lads working in the yard and for the owners. Everyone puts in so much effort so it’s great for everyone to have a winner on a day like this. She’s the best I have trained.”

Satin stays on strongly

Jessica Harrington ensured a double for female trainers on day one of the festival when progressive three-year-old Satin excelled in first-time cheekpieces to plunder the €150,000 Irish Stallion Farms EBF ‘Petingo’ Handicap under a well-judged Shane Foley ride.

The Sarah Kelly-owned daughter of Australia had won readily at Killarney before a fifth in the Shergar Cup at Ascot and pulled two and a half lengths clear of the well-backed Comfort Zone (4/1). She won in the style of a stakes-class filly at 14/1.

Harrington said: “I thought she’d run very well; she was very unlucky in the Shergar Cup because she got locked in and I thought that was her day with the small field there. The cheekpieces helped her today, she wasn’t intimidated by the other horses and that really helped.

“She showed a great turn of foot and is a good filly. Though she’s won on slow ground, Shane said she absolutely hops off that good ground. We’ll look for a stakes race and hopefully keep her in training next year. She’ll be a lovely filly over a mile and six furlongs.”

Parkin’s perfect Plan

The sole overseas-trained winner on the card came in the Group 2 Dullingham Park Stakes when Flight Plan made all under an assertive Danny Tudhope for race sponsor Steve Parkin’s Clipper Logistics and trainer Karl Burke.

Tudhope and Parkin had combined to land this prize back in 2019 courtesy of Space Traveller, who was ridden quietly and came home strongly to lead late, but the winning of this mile event was likely in the early exchanges on the 15/2 shot.

The likeable three-year-old colt was quickly into stride and built up a valuable advantage early, though, to his credit, he dug in gamely when needed to keep 2/1 favourite Buckaroo at bay by a length and a quarter.

Tudhope said: “He’s getting better all the time and well done to Steve, Karl, Joe Foley and the team. We have finally found the way to ride him.

“We’ve always loved this horse and it’s just taken us a bit of time to figure him out. I had to get a good start because he didn’t break very well last time at York.

“I was surprised at how the pace of the race unfolded. He’s got a beautiful action and he strides out - he’s a lovely horse with a big engine.”