The irresistible Aidan O'Brien juggernaut rolled on to yet another major success with Moonstone in the Irish Oaks at the Curragh yesterday, the 13th Group 1 victory for the Ballydoyle stable this season.
He is also one short of the Irish classic grand slam, having taken the 2000 Guineas, 1000 Guineas, Derby, and Oaks, with the final leg, the St Leger, still to come.
For good measure, O'Brien saddled a 1-2 in the Oaks, Moonstone, the 2-1 favourite just pipping his 66-1 stablemate, Ice Queen.
Gagnoa (4-1), trained in France by Andre Fabre but owned by another of the men involved with the Coolmore stud, Michal Tabor, was third for Andre Fabre.
Runner-up in the Epsom Oaks last month, Moonstone sat handily behind the pace in the early stages but took a fair while to warm to her task at the business end of the mile-and-a-half contest. Ice Queen had travelled just in front of the market leader and led at the two-furlong marker.
Johnny Murtagh, meantime, was working hard on the favourite but, even when she did eventually quicken inside the last, Ice Queen and jockey Colm O'Donoghue refused to buckle and the two went flashing past the post inseparable to the naked eye.
Moonstone was making it three Irish Oaks victories in a row for O'Brien and his seventh successive Irish classic win. He said: "It was a great race with two jockeys and two fillies giving it their all. It was a masterful ride from Johnny and Colm gave his filly a great ride too.
"Moonstone ran a smashing race at Epsom and she stays very well. She is progressing well and will head next for the Yorkshire Oaks (August 21). Ice Queen wouldn't mind dropping back to 10 furlongs." The runner-up is in the Nassau Stakes at Glorious Goodwood (August 2) over that trip.
At Ayr today, where senior citizens enjoy free entry, Mister Fantastic looks to have a sound chance in the Renault Master Maiden after a highly promising debut at Carlisle.
The Michael Dodds-trained juvenile made up a lot of ground to finish a close-up third behind Firebet and Tepmokea and that looks decent form in regard to today's race.
Newcomers Chief Red Cloud and Postman may well be major threats and the market will be a guide to their prospects. However, Mister Fantastic (2.40) will have learned a lot from that experience and can earn his first success.
Jim Goldie's Chin Wag, fourth at Hamilton on Saturday evening, turns out again in the Weatherby's Bloodstock Insurance Handicap and it could be the 10-furlong trip will be more suitable than the mile at Hamilton.
Annibale Caro has been in great form but comes up against her conqueror at Pontefract last time out, Holiday Cocktail (3.10). Apprentice Jamie Kyne , who rode the winner that day, is back on board and his 7lb claim could prove decisive again.
Goldie also sends out Rothesay Dancer again after she finished second yet again at Hamilton on Saturday and perhaps the switch to six furlongs in the Arnold Clark Handicap will bring about a welcome success. However, Gap Princess (3.40) is a formidable rival who could add to her Catterick win earlier in the month.
SELECTIONS Ayr. 2.40 Mister Fantastic, 3.10 Holiday Cocktail, 3.40 Gap Princess
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