Magical Group 1 Double For Ballydoyle On Irish Guineas Weekend

Magical (Galileo) and Hermosa (Galileo) completed a quickfire Group 1 double for Aidan O’Brien, when taking the Tattersalls Gold Cup and Irish 1,000 Guineas respectively on Sunday.

Magical was first to oblige at the Curragh and did so in fine style, tracking stablemate Flag Of Honour (Galileo) until asserting two furlongs out and ran on strongly to beat her aforementioned rival by seven lengths.

A delighted Aidan O’Brien later spoke of future plans, saying, “The plan made out was the three races and then see about Ascot for the Prince Of Wales. There is an autumn campaign and she has to have a break somewhere before maybe the Irish Champion and the Arc. It’s all stuff to dream about.”

The following race saw Hermosa complete the Guineas double, as she made all under Ryan Moore to race home a four length winner ahead of previous Group 1 winner Pretty Pollyanna. O’Brien later confirmed that the Prix de Diane would be next for the winner.

Ryan Moore commented after the race, “She’s done very well from two to three. She’s really grown and strengthened a lot and I thought she was very impressive. She gave me a good feel the whole way up there and she never really felt in any danger. She gave me the feel of a real high class horse.”

Ballydoyle enjoyed a treble on Sunday’s card, having won the opening six furlong maiden with the ultra-impressive Arizona (No Nay Never). Sent off favourite for his fine debut third, he shared the lead until the two furlong marker and was pushed out to beat stablemate and newcomer King Of Athens (War Front) by eight lengths, with ease.

Winning trainer Aidan O’Brien later commented, “We really liked him the first day when he was green. He looks an Ascot two-year-old and could have the option of the Coventry or the Chesham.”

Ballydoyle made a strong start to Guineas weekend on Friday, when Constantinople (Galileo) denied Buckhurst (Australia) to win the Group 3 Gallinule Stakes. A full-brother to St. Leger second Bondi Beach (Galileo), the progressive winner won his maiden impressively at the end of last season and finished an unlucky second on his three-year-old return last month.

O’Brien later hinted that there may be more to come for Constantinople, commenting, “He's a lovely big horse and is still a big baby. He quickened well and came home well. He's a nice mover and appreciates good ground. We could pick a race for him in (Royal) Ascot but will go gentle with him.”

Another horse with a bright future is two-year-old colt Mount Fuji, who made a winning debut over five furlongs at Cork earlier in the week. Ridden in mid-division by Seamie Heffernan, he was asked to challenge from halfway and ran on well inside the final furlong to lead close home, scoring by half a length.

Aidan O’Brien commented after the race, “We were delighted with him for his first start - they can be green and he was green. We think he could be an Ascot two-year-old and whether he'll have a run or not will depend on if we can get a race into him. He's a nice colt, I'd say. Five or six furlongs would be what we'd be looking at for Ascot, he's not short of speed.”