Innisfree Continues O’Brien’s Beresford Stakes Spree

A thrilling finish to Sunday’s Group 2 Beresford Stakes saw Innisfree (2c Galileo - Palace, by Fastnet Rock) battle bravely to provide Aidan O’Brien with an incredible ninth consecutive success in the race.

Second on debut and successful last time out over seven furlongs at Galway, he was sent off favourite for the mile contest under Donnacha O’Brien. He settled in second as Shekhem (Zoffany) attempted to make all, O’Brien pushing him along to challenge a furlong and a half from home, improving to join the leader entering the final furlong. Neck and neck as they rallied home, Innisfree led narrowly close home and won by a neck, as the rest of the field finished strung out behind them.

Donnacha O’Brien was full of praise for the winner, commenting after the race, “Innisfree travelled lovely. He has plenty of pace and he took me there nicely, he stuck his head out well in the last furlong. There's still a nice bit of improvement in and nicer ground will see him step up again.”

Owned by Derrick Smith, Mrs John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Mrs Anne-Marie O’Brien, Innisfree was bred by Whisperview Trading out of the Listed winner Palace (Fastnet Rock).

Of Aidan O’Brien’s nine consecutive winners of the Beresford Stakes, six of them have been by Galileo, with another two by Montjeu. The other winner was young stallion Saxon Warrior (Deep Impact).