A review of the rest of the action from Saturday's meeting at the Curragh where Above The Curve was a game winner.
Curve edges Blandford thriller
Above The Curve (5/1) showed tremendous resolution to get the better of Insinuendo and Galleria Borghese to win the Moyglare 'Jewels' Blandford Stakes.
A daughter of American Pharoah from the family of Giant’s Causeway, she was racing for the first time since landing the Prix Saint-Alary at ParisLongchamp in May but showed no signs of rustiness as she dug deep for Ryan Moore to win by a neck.
“I thought it was a fantastic ride from Ryan. It was the filly’s first run back after a lay-off and I thought she’d come on for it,” admitted trainer Joseph O’Brien.
“She’s a classy filly, a Group One winner, and she really stuck her head out in the finish. I’ve been very lucky with the American Pharoahs and he’s done really well here in Europe.
“The plan was this was a nice stepping=stone for the Prix de l’Opera on Arc day and it should set up her lovely for that. She’s a course-and-distance winner there already and there’s a chance she’ll stay in training next year. She’s a huge, big filly who seems to have progressed form the spring and can hopefully progress again in the future.”
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50/1 shock in opener
Dexter Belle sprang a 50/1 shock for Edward Lynam in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF “Bold Lad” Sprint Handicap.
Rough Diamond appeared to be the trainer’s first string, but it was Dexter Belle in the hands of Andrew Slattery who hit the front in the dying strides to prevail by a neck, with just a head and a nose separating the placed horses No More Porter, My Wagyu and Laugh A Minute.
When asked if it was a surprise, Lynam said: “Possibly when Chris (Hayes) picked the other one. I loved her when I got her and thought she was well handicapped. She ran a bit disappointing for me, but OK, on Guineas weekend but then she ran a stinker next time, it was desperate but my horses were out of form.”
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Discover Sporting Life Plus BenefitsJohnson Houghton strikes Gold
Streets Of Gold (11/8 favourite) led home a British clean sweep in the Tattersalls Ireland Super Auction Sale Stakes
Now unbeaten in four runs for Eve Johnson Houghton, Streets Of Gold held off the Andrew Balding-trained Tostado by a length, with Dandy Alys a further nose back in third for Ralph Beckett.
Johnson Houghton said: “You wouldn’t know he was in the yard. Any kid can ride him and when we started working him any kid did ride him because I thought that he wasn’t very good and he doesn’t do anything.
“I found the worst race in England, at Chepstow, for him to win. He fell out of the stalls and he won going away and I thought ‘maybe you are a bit better than I think you are’. The sale has been very lucky and we found Tout Seul and Beaver Patrol and had a rake load of success out of it.”
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