Australia Sires Impressive Stakes Double

Order Of Australia (5h Australia - Senta’s Dream, by Danehill) appeared as good as ever when landing back-to-back runnings of the Group 2 Minstrel Stakes at the Curragh.

The Grade 1 winning son of Australia finished a promising third on return from a lay-off in last month’s Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes and was sent off favourite to return to winning ways on Sunday. The bay made all under Ryan Moore, who pushed his mount along from two furlongs out and drew clear inside the final furlong. Keeping on strongly, he won by three and a half lengths from his nearest market rival Pearls Galore.

Winning trainer Aidan O’Brien, who also bred the winner with wife Anne Marie as Whisperview Trading, was delighted with his charge’s performance. “He's a lovely horse out of a great mare,” he said. “He has loads of speed, and is tough, genuine and hardy.”

Looking to the future, O’Brien added, “The plan is to go to the Sussex Stakes and finish up at the Breeders' Cup. He could go to Hong Kong and do all those races. He's at that great age now that he's seasoned and that'll be a big help in those big races.”

Abhayaa (3f Australia - Navajo Moon, by Danehill) completed the first leg of a Stakes double for her sire on Sunday when taking the Listed Diana Trial at Mulheim.

Produced late by Eddy Hardouin, the Carina Fey-trained bay produced an impressive surge to lead the long-time leader close home and dug deep to deny a challenge by favourite Narmada. The winning margin was a head and represented a tremendous achievement by the French raider, who only made her debut last month.

That debut was a winning one at Compiegne and Sunday marked just a third start for the Natalie Steinmann-owned bay. Bred by Double First Stables, Abhayaa is a half-sister to Manjeer (Footstepsinthesand), who has been Stakes-placed in France, Germany and Dubai for the same connections. Connections also raced sibling Samasthiti (Camelot) to achieve black-type.