Tony McFadden provides three key takeaways from a Galway Festival where Aidan O'Brien's two-year-olds continued to shine.
O'Brien shows strength in two-year-old ranks
Aidan O'Brien is responsible for Timeform's highest-rated two-year-old this season in Bedtime Story (116p) and the highest-rated juvenile colt in Henri Matisse (110p). Splitting that pair on ratings is Fairy Godmother (112p) which means that O'Brien trains the top three juveniles seen so far in 2024.
There is also plenty of strength in depth as, following a highly productive Galway Festival, O'Brien has had 31 winners in races for two-year-olds in Britain and Ireland this season. That's the joint highest along with Karl Burke, while Charlie Appleby is next on the list with 21.
O'Brien had three winners from just four runners in two-year-old maidens at the latest Galway Festival, and they all scored decisively with the winning margins ranging from two and a quarter lengths to five lengths.
Rock of Cashel, Bubbling and Puppet Master all achieved Timeform ratings in the low-mid 90s and, with further improvement expected, they look set to make an impact in pattern company. Their impressive displays underline that O'Brien is happy to target the Galway Festival with some exciting sorts and it's worth remembering that subsequent Group 1 winners Capri and Broome won the mile maiden that Puppet Master secured on Saturday.
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Don't take consistent brilliance for granted
Willie Mullins was crowned leading trainer at the Galway Festival for the ninth year in a row and most operators would be delighted with his tally of five winners at such a competitive meeting. However, so high is the bar that Mullins has set in recent years that such a total represented a disappointing return - and half as many as he achieved last year.
Sirius sprang a 50/1 surprise for the yard on the opening night of the meeting but Mullins didn't fare so well in the other feature events at the Festival. His five runners in the Plate fared no better than 11th, and even though Winter Fog managed fourth in the Hurdle, Mullins was also responsible for the last three home.
Five winners from 52 runners, including eight beaten favourites in races he didn't win with a stablemate, offers a reminder not to take Mullins' usual brilliance for granted. Even the best trainers can go through challenging spells.
Quevega keeps on producing the goods
A bright spot for Mullins during an often-frustrating week was the success of Quevega's latest offspring, Cameletta Vega, in the mares' bumper on Saturday.
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Discover Sporting Life Plus BenefitsIt was a poignant victory as days earlier Mullins had revealed that dual Grade 1 winner Facile Vega, the most successful of Quevega's foals, had sadly died after fracturing a bone in his pelvis.
Quevega was a remarkable racehorse - she memorably won the Mares' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival six years in a row - and she has made a highly promising start as a broodmare.
Cameletta Vega's success means that all four of Quevega's foals have won on debut, and the style of her emphatic victory suggests that she's likely to hold her own in better company, just like her close relation Aurora Vega who won at listed level last season and also made the frame in a Grade 2.
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