Curragh review and free video replays: Green Empress, Giant Sequoia and Monogram impress

Giant steps to follow

Giant Sequoia (2/1) favourite has some famous feet to follow with Constitution River, Henri Matisse and Henry Longfellow the last three winners of the Coolmore Stud City Of Troy Tom Cooper Irish EBF Futurity Stakes at the Curragh, a race that Aidan O'Brien has now won on 19 occasions.

Giant Sequoia was sent off at 4/9 for both of his starts in maidens, third behind stablemate Aix La Chapelle on the first of them before beating another stablemate in Oklahoma over this course and distance and the biggest threat once again came from his own stable.

Ronan Whelan set the tempo aboard Florida Bay, racing several lanes off the rail with Nola Soul on the outside of Giant Sequoia and Wayne Lordan towards the inside.

Royal Ascot winner Nola Soul was the first to come under pressure as Whelan wound up the pace with fully a quarter of a mile to run and edged ahead of Giant Sequoia. Florida Bay kept finding and so, too, did his stablemate who got the better of his first battle with Nola Soul but didn't pass his stablemate until passing the 100 yard marker.

Even then, his race wasn't won as Nola Soul rallied for pressure and Green Dreamer flew late but too late.

Giant Sequoia had half a length to spare from Florida Bay with Green Dreamer three parts of a length away in third, just a short-head clear of Nola Soul.

Giant Sequoia was cut to 16/1 for the 2000 Guineas by Sky Bet and Paddy Power and is the 14/1 favourite for the Epsom Derby in June.

O'Brien and Lordan went on to win the Group 3 Comer Group International Irish St Leger Trial Stakes with Queenstown (9/1) after which the trainer spoke to Racing TV, saying: "He had an injury at the backend of last year and we weren't sure he'd come back, he was just ready to start back today, incredible horse really.

"Two very good runs last year and he's a lovely genuine gelding."

Moving onto the performances of Giant Sequoia and Floriday Bay, O'Brien said: "Ronan's horse had a very good run the last day and we knew that they'd take them along at a strong gallop and whoever was going to pick him up was going to have to be good.

"It was perfect the way Giant Sequoia was following along and Seamus' horse [Nola Soul] just started lying in on top of him and Wayne had to move earlier because he really wanted to. And because the pace was hot, because if he didn't he was going to get squeezed out, and he got there lovely.

"He wasn't killing himself when he got there. Wayne's horse will get a mile on his ear; I'd be very happy and he'll have learnt a lot today and we learned a lot about him, he's a lovely horse and is going to be very exciting going forward."

The man from Juddmonte says yes

Joseph O'Brien saddled his first winner for Juddmonte Farms from just his second runner when Monogram (4/6 favourite) made an impressive debut in the Coolmore Stud St Mark's Basilica Irish European Breeders Fund Maiden.

The Dewhurst Stakes entry had plenty on his plate after a slow start but picked up in taking style under Dylan Browne McMonagle to poke his head in front on the line, beating Salt Lake by a short-head.

O'Brien said: "It's a real privilege to have some Juddmonte horses in the stable. I thought that was a really nice debut from a big, strong, good-looking, well bred colt.

"He was very natural so we haven't really looked. Colin [Keane] rode him work and he really liked him and that was as much as we had looked but we thought that he would get a nice run and come home strong.

"He was slowly away, Dylan was nice and relaxed on him so he switched off and learned how to race properly and you'd have to say that his last furlong was very impressive. I thought at halfway, if he came home and ran into the places it would be a really nice debut but when Dylan put him into gear I thought the response was very good.

"I'd like to think there's plenty [of improvement]. He's a very natural horse and we haven't by any means squeezed him for today so you'd like to think he'd come on and he even looked green off the bridle."

Monogram was introduced at 20/1 for the 2000 Guineas by Sky Bet and Paddy Power while, more immediately, Monogram is 10/1 for the Dewhurst Stakes.

Trainer and jockey completed a quickfire double when Acula (11/8 favourite) took the following Moloney's Bar And Music Venue Maiden by half a length. Browne McMonagle went on to take the third with Bear On The Run (14/1).

More magic from Dylan

The racing game can be one of swings and roundabouts but Browne McMonagle is enjoying the rub of the green at the moment and completed a four-timer when Green Empress got up just in time to win the Group 2 Alpa Centauri Debutante Stakes.

Alpha, trained by Aidan O'Brien, was sent off the 4/6 favourite and may have been a reluctant leader under Wayne Lordan with the pace, to the naked eye, appearing steady at best.

Dancing Destiny was always on the leader's girths with Green Empress tucked in behind them on the rail from the favourite's stablemate Ibelieveicanfly.

There was little change to the order until the two furlong marker when Dancing Destiny hit the front but Alpha had regained the lead by the one pole and looked to be doing enough. Browne McMonagle didn't extricate Green Empress from the pocket until the final 150 yards but she showed a smart turn of foot to win by a neck and a half with Dancing Destiny edging out Alpha for the minors.

Green Empress, trained by Joseph O'Brien, was a twice raced maiden coming into this seven furlong contest but the only horse to have beaten her was - and remains - Group 1 winner Sun Goddess.

Browne McMonagle said: "That was exceptional. She's a very, very exciting filly.

"She was coming off the back of a little break but her form has really stacked up, looking at what Sun Goddess has done since they last met, and I thought mine was probably going to take a big step forwards again from that, stepping up to seven furlongs was always going to be a help to her.

"I had a good draw. I was able to follow the boys. I said I'd count to 10 and keep following them but I ended up nearly counting to too many before I got out! Once I did get out she responded so well, not many would be able to come back half a length and quicken up like that but she hit the line well and she's definitely very exciting for connections.

"She's always shown us plenty and, hopefully, she's got a bright future. She's got loads of speed and she gets the seven well."

Paddy Power and Sky Bet introduced Green Empress at 12/1 for the 1000 Guineas while pushing Alpha out to 20/1.

There was yet more success for both O'Brien and McMonagle with Yousaynothingatall (9/4 favourite) rounding off a remarkable day for the pair.

O'Brien senior said of his two runners, "We were happy with Alpha.

"She was getting ready for the Moyglare and we didn't want to blow her head today. Joseph's filly is a good filly. Alpha gets seven really well and she will be able to go a notch quicker early, that will be interesting to see.

"She's also a filly that will get a mile at the backend and will get a mile and a quarter, even and a mile and a half next year. Joseph's filly had a very good run behind our Sioux Nation filly [Sun Goddess] so that was a class run and Joseph's second filly had very good form too.

"It was part of the programme and we think they'll progress from today whatever any of them did but we'll see. We're happy, she ran a big race and just got beat and that's the way it goes.

"Happy with Ronan's filly [Ibelieveicanfly] as well, she relaxed and behaved well which was important. Alpha might come back for the Moyglare and Ronan's filly might go to Leopardstown for the listed race."

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