Tahiyra justifies odds-on with smooth Matron Stakes victory en route to potential Breeders Cup tilt
His stable companion, and last year’s winner, Luxembourg, was significantly backed down to 4-1 and found himself cutting out the running soon after the start.
At the line there was just half a length between the O’Brien pair but in Coolmore Stud’s broader commercial picture that gap was invaluable confirmation that they were in the right order for racing’s powerhouse operation. Describing Auguste Rodin as “a very sensitive horse” and “a little bit peculiar” the man of the moment pointed to a flight to Ascot as one possible contributory reason for his King George flop.
“There was so many reasons that it could go wrong and, if even half of those changed the other way, we knew we had a big shout today. “The lads [owners] never panicked in any way. Everyone knows what he’s worth and how important he is to breed and it was very easy to say ‘that’s the end’ but they never did,” O’Brien pointed out.
The 5-6 favourite travelled beautifully through the mile contest under Chris Hayes before comfortably holding Rogue Millenium in the closing stages. On the back of his winning debut, the flashy looking Ballydoyle colt started 8-15 but needed all of the straight, and a powerful Ryan Moore drive, to get the better of his stable companion Capulet by a neck.
Kitty Rose ridden by jockey WJ Lee on their way to winning the Ballylinch Stud Irish EBF Ingabelle Stakes at Leopardstown. Photograph: Damien Eagers/PARunner up to Auguste Rodin in the Irish Derby, and also second in the Grand Prix de Paris, the strapping 11-8 favourite was described as a “next year horse” by O’Brien.