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Aidan O’Brien usurped the late Vincent O’Brien as the most successful trainer in the 143-year history of the Irish Derby as Fame And Glory stamped his class upon the Curragh Classic.

The namesakes were tied at the top of the winning-most table until the Epsom runner-up forged clear under Johnny Murtagh to provide the Ballydoyle incumbent his fourth consecutive victory in the race, and his seventh overall.

With John Oxx’s Epsom hero Sea The Stars an absentee, owing to the ground conditions, Fame And Glory thundered into the lead a furlong and half out, needing minimal assistance from the saddle to oblige as the 8-11 favourite.

Vincent O’Brien was the man responsible for establishing Coolmore, and it was fitting after his death on June 1 that his breeding empire registered their 11 consecutive Irish Classic courtesy of Fame And Glory.

The son of Montjeu had his stablemate Golden Sword back in second, while Sea The Stars’ trainer John Oxx saddled Mourayan to come home another length adrift in third.

O’Brien said: “I am delighted - he has been a great horse all along.

“He took a little bit of time to come into peak fitness. He did very well over the winter and often when they do that, they take a couple of runs to really arrive.

“He is very special and was a Group One winner at two. The sky is the limit for him now and he has shown what he has always had - class.

“Johnny was over the moon and he has won very snugly.”

Fame And Glory landed the Ballysax and Derrinstown Stud Derby Trials during the spring, a feat last achieved by O’Brien with High Chaparral and Galileo.

Both of those wins came over a mile and a quarter, and O’Brien does not see a drop back in distance as a stumbling block - with the Irish Champion Stakes followed by the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe likely targets.

William Hill make Sea The Stars their 4-7 favourite to dish out another beating in the Irish Champion, with Fame And Glory a 5-4 chance. Ladbrokes quote the latter at 6-1 for the Arc.

O’Brien added: “You could see in his trials that he has loads of class.

“We will make a plan next week, but a mile and a quarter won’t be a problem.”

With the first all-Irish field going to post since 1957, O’Brien saddled six of the 11 runners and was humbled to have passed Vincent O’Brien’s Derby tally.

He commented: “I never thought it would happen, and words can’t say how special it is.

“Everyone knows what an important and special race this is, and normally the best three-year-old over a mile and a half decides it.

“It is one of the most important races of the whole year.”

Sinndar nine years ago and Alamshar in 2003 have already provided the 39-year-old Murtagh with Irish Derby wins, and the jockey believes Fame And Glory can emulate their subsequent triumphs.

He said: “I knew that this horse was going to be a different proposition altogether from Epsom.

“He improved quite a bit from there, and I don’t care what turned up - he would have been hard to beat.

“He has improved mentally, and is much sharper and on the ball.

“I think he will be consistent from now until the end of the year.

“He is a very high-class horse and cruised round there.

“I left him alone, but once we turned the hill he really came on the bridle and I didn’t have to touch him - he was just hands and heels.

“You have to be something special to win a mile-and-half race at the Curragh, and I think you can see from some of the horses I have won on before what they have gone on to do.

“I think he will end up like that.”

Of a rematch with Sea The Stars, Murtagh added: “He is 1-0 up, but hopefully we’ll lock horns later in the year - it will be great for racing.”

Coolmore supremo John Magnier, who is married to the late O’Brien’s daughter, Sue, said: “He (Vincent O’Brien) has linked all of the bloodlines and they originated with him.

“As Aidan has pointed out several times, he set up Ballydoyle.

“Aidan has continued that and I am sure he would be very proud.”

Courtesy www.sportinglife.com

 The magic number: four wins and fourth jockeys’ title for Johnny Murtagh

HE may well have missed the last two days of Royal Ascot through suspension, but Johnny Murtagh still won the jockeys’ crown for the second year on the bounce, and fourth time in all, with Richard Hughes and Ryan Moore failing to overhaul him on the final day.

Hughes and Moore both rode winners on Saturday, taking their scores to four and three, but while Hughes drew level with Murtagh on four for the week, Murtagh’s second-placed finish on Cesare in the very first race of the five-day spectacular proved the difference between retaining and losing the London Clubs International Charity Trophy.

Murtagh, whose highlight came aboard Yeats as the veteran claimed a record-breaking fourth Gold Cup, was represented by owner Derrick Smith’s son, Paul, on the winner’s podium as the Ballydoyle rider was awarded his prize.

Barry Hills ended the meeting as leading trainer for the first time in his 40-year career, thanks to three glittering triumphs.

Barry Hills: timely tonic for trainer

  PICTURE: Mark Cranham  

Hills has endured a tough couple of years battling illness and missed Royal Ascot this week after being hospitalised due to a life-threatening blood disorder.

Victories for Ouqba in the Jersey Stakes, Ghanaati in the Coronation Stakes and Giganticus in the Buckingham Palace Handicap sealed him his maiden title, though Richard Hannon also took the plaudits as he saddled three winners too.

Crucially, Hills had also been responsible for a second gained in the Royal Hunt Cup with Huzzah. His son and assistant Charlie said: “This week has shown us what a great team we have at home.

“They have kept the horses bang on for the week, while dad has not been well, and he has never won the title before.”

He added: “Ghanaati was an undoubted highlight, and she is a very special filly.”

Courtesy: www.racingpost.com

 Bronze Cannon went clear under a determined Jimmy Fortune

BRONZE CANNON cut down the heavily-backed 2-1 favourite Campanologist close home to land the Hardwicke Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.

The winner, sent off at 8-1, was giving weight away to all eight rivals but he shook off the weight burden to peg back Frankie Dettori and Campanologist in second, with Eddie Ahern third on the Gerard Butler-trained Dansant.

The victory was a boost for trainer John Gosden, who saddled his first winner at this year’s Royal Ascot and had sent out 42 runners without a winner, until breaking that run with a winner at Newmarket on Friday.

Barshiba, who set a furious pace, was at one stage seven lengths clear of Richard Hills on Tajaaweed. But turning for home and with three furlongs to race, Dettori was well on his way to reeling the pacesetter in.

The Godolphin runner, who won the King Edward VII Stakes over course and distance last year, had earlier usurped the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Doctor Fremantle at the head of the market following sustain support in the betting ring.

Approaching the furlong market Campanologist was still a length in the clear and the gamble looked likely to be landed, but Bronze Cannon went clear under a determined Jimmy Fortune to land the spoils.

Gosden said of Bronze Cannon: “He won the Jockey Club Stakes at Newmarket and picked up a 3lb penalty for this. We were always going to come here but it is difficult with a penalty.

“Frankie told me at the start of the week he thought this was his best chance of a winner but our horse has shown lots of courage, given them 3lb and beat the lot of them.

“I suppose we will have to look at Group 1s now but we are happy where we are at the moment.”

Fortune said: “They went very quick early, and I was happy to sit where I was. He has a big heart this horse. Frankie wasn’t stopping, my lad kept pulling that bit more out and wore him down in the end.

“It was a good effort to win with a penalty, they’re not bad horses he’s beaten. He gets a mile and a half well and is a very game little horse. He’s certainly going the right way.”

Saeed Bin Suroor: ‘pace too quick’

  PICTURE: Edward Whitaker  

Saeed Bin Suroor, trainer of Campanologist, said: “The pace was too quick early but he ran a big, big race.

“I was confident coming here after his performance at Sandown and the horse has been working well at home.

“Frankie rode him in his last piece of work and that went well. I thought for a second that he was going to win, but we could have done with the winning post being further down the track.”

Courtesy: www.racingpost.com

High Standing makes the most of a high draw at Royal Ascot on Saturday 

THE betting suggested the finish would be foughtout on the stands’ side, but runners on the far side were prominent throughout the Wokingham and High Standing (6-1), trained by William Haggas and ridden by Ryan Moore, came home the best of them to win.

Frankie Dettori, also drawn high on Asset (16-1), looked to have the race wrapped up on the Godolphin six year-old but the pair had to settle for runner-up spot.  

Third home was 40-1 outsider Rock Of Rochelle, drawn 25 and in fourth was Markab (11-1) - the only horse from a low draw to get involved in the finish.

Markab, trained by Henry Candy and ridden by Pat Cosgrave, was quickly awayand took the near side group along with Beaver Patrol and Van Bossed well there in the early stages.

On the far side, Joseph Henry and Striking Spirit were blazing a trail, while early on a third group struck up the centre but soon split with the majority including Tamagin joining the pace-setters on the far side.

Asset had the edge going for home in the final furlong, only for High Standing to strike late to take the spoils by three-quarters of a length, landing some tasty ante-post bets in the process.

William Haggas: ‘pretty useful’

  PICTURE: Mark Cranham  

Winning trainer William Haggas said: “He’s gone up in the weights for the future andhad a 5lb penalty so effectively he was 2lb well in. I was a bit concerned he might not get in the race then I was very concerned about the draw.

“A high draw has been terrible all week. Today the middle was good ground and the far side was dry so we might have got lucky with the draw.

“I think he’s a pretty useful horse and now he’ll go straight into better company.”

Courtesy: www.racingpost.com

JOE FANNING may have been bidding for a third Royal Ascot winner, but Mark Johnston was looking for his fifth Queen’s Vase victory and Holberg delivered, powering well clear of Yankee Doodle and setting a new course record.

First finding his niche with And Beyond in 2001, Johnston saddled the winner of the 2003 and 2005 renewals before completing a four-timer when the course reopened after refurbishment in 2006 courtesy of Soapy Danger.

This year the trainerfielded two and both were still in with a chance rounding the home bend.

Sabotage was the first to make a move, tracking Tactic past Dhushan, who faded quickly having pulled double up front throughout the contest.

Clowance House swept past that pair entering the straight but that lead was short lived as Holberg stormed ahead approaching the final furlong to win by four lengths.

Johnston said: “He’d been a good horse all winter and Joe rode him in the Glasgow Stakes at Hamilton where we thought he was our first string.

“We won the race with Parthenon, but Joe missed the kick and didn’t want to hassle his stable companion for the lead.

“That meant we didn’t see him in his best light. Clearly the further he goes, the better he is. I’ve not thought about the St Leger. He might be a Cup horse next year.”

Fanning added: “They went a little bit slow, but once they turned into the straight we came back on the bridle and he galloped all the way up the hill. I thought he’d run better than he did at Hamilton.

“But, like Mark said, the pace was slow - he could have been more impressive if they’d gone quicker today.”

Godolphin’s Mastery won a hard-fought third, three-quarters of a length adrift of Yankee Doodle, who made up a remarkable amount of ground in the straight.

“He came home well,” said trainer Aidan O’Brien. “He’s a little bit backward, mentally, but he’s getting it together and thereshould be better to come from him next year.”

Connections of Italian Derby winner Mastery were pleased with his third-placed finish.  “It was a good run and we will make a plan for him next week,” said Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford.

“The St Leger could be in the mix, but we’ll have to see how he comes out of this.”

Courtesy : racingpost.com

STANJAMES.COM 1,000 Guineas winner Ghanaati broke the track record when annihilating a brace of Guineas winners and giving jockey Richard Hills and owner Hamdan Al Maktoum a 50-1 double.

Unfancied by punters at Newmarket when sent off at 20-1, Ghanaati powered clear two furlongs from home and shot to the head of the Investec Oaks market. Connection’s stamina doubts foiled a Classic double bid and all roads then led to Royal Ascot. 

Despite the blitering pace set by Chintz, Hills struggled to settle Ghanaati, who tracked the French Guineas winner Elusive Wave, while the Irish Guineas victor Again appeared outpaced.

Rounding the final bend Christophe Lemaire and Richard Hughes made their moves, driving Elusive Wave and Heart Shaped up to join Chintz but Ghanaati was looming and flew by both approaching the final furlong.

Michael Hills, twin brother of the winning rider, gave father Barry his first CoronationStakes victory on Maids Causeway when it was transferred to York in 2005, but unfortunately the trainer was unable to attend this time due to illness.

“She’s so professional,” said Charlie Hills, son and assistant to the winning trainer.  “She is a beautiful stamp of a filly and is just getting better and better. She’s class.

“I doubt very much that my father has ever had a filly as good as her, even after 40 years.”

The winning rider, celebrating his 23rd Royal Ascot winner, was similarly emotional. “There are only two women in my life, my wife and this filly,” he said.  “In Arabic Ghanaati means my love and she’s certainly that today.

“I’m very pleased for my father as there was plenty of emotion going in but she performed beautifully.

“She’s the best filly I’ve ridden without a doubt. My dad never lets me take the handbrake off her at home and for a very good reason.”

Heart Shaped and Elusive Wave gave chase for a while but faded in the final strides allowing the staying-on Reggane into second and Rainbow View into third.

Reggane’s trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre said: “She was a little bit outpaced early on, which was down to her inexperience.

“I think we will stick to a mile and the race I like is the Prix Rothschild at Deauville [on August 2].”

John Gosden was delighted with the performance of Rainbow View, and feels she will have no problem stepping back up in trip.

“I’m thrilled with her run, although I think she found the going a little bit fast,” said the trainer. “She’s absolutely flown up the stretch and should get a mile and a quarter - and even a mile and a half with no problem later on.

“Importantly, she’s shown that she’s trained on and I look forward to taking on those that have beaten her today under different conditions in the autumn.”

Courtesy : racingpost.com

King Edward VII Stakes (Group 2) colts and geldings 1m4f

FATHERTIME gave trainer Henry Cecil a 71st Royal Ascot winner when thrashing his opponents in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot on Friday.

The son of Dansili was made a 6-1 shot by the sponsors for the Ladbrokes St Leger at Doncaster in September, an option which was not ruled out by Cecil after the race.

“I thought this was my best chance of winning a race,” said the trainer.

“He wants a trip and is a fullbrother to Passage Of Time, who didn’t really get a mile and a half, but it looks as though he (Father Time) gets it really well.

“I hadn’t really thought about the Leger, but we can think about it.

“It’salways good to win at Ascot. I’ve had a few lean years, but they’ve run well this week.”

Sent off at 9-1, Father Time was settled alongside stablemate Native Ruler just behind Debussy and Hail Caesar, who made the running.

Favourite South Easter raced in the middle of the field with Black Bear Island, while Your Old Pal was towards the rear after playing up at the stalls and then being slowly away.

Native Ruler and Father Time were nudged closer to the leading pair rounding the home turn, and jockey Tom Queally shot Native Ruler into the lead soon after.

But it was Father Time who then loomed up under jockey Eddie Ahern and, despite a slightly awkward head carriage, he stormed to the front and soon put the race beyond doubt.

He came home four lengths clear of 14-1 chance Your Old Pal, who made good late progress up the far side rail, and 9-2 shot Black Bear Island was a neck back in third.

Ahern said: “They went a good gallop, he had a good draw and we have come off the rail like Mr Cecil wanted us to do.

“Then it was just a matter of straightening out, getting the right lead, and off we go.

“The horse wasn’t stopping going to the line and after the line he galloped on really well so I’m sure a mile and six furlongs (the Leger trip) would be no problem.”

Courtesy : racingpost.com

Yeats and Johnny Murtagh power home to Gold Cup glory 

YEATS showed all his brilliance to record an unprecedented fourth victory in the Ascot Gold Cup.

The super stayer’s rider, Johnny Murtagh, was keen to make it a real test of stamina and struck for home on the winner over three furlongs out. He quickly opened up a clear lead and never looked like being caught from that moment. 

Yeats’s victory was the first for an eight-year-old in the staying showpiece in more than a century and he now goes down in history as the greatest Flat stayer of all time.The early pace, set by outsider Hindu Kush, was only moderate and Murtagh settled his mount in a close third. At the six-furlong marker, Veracity moved into the lead, stalked by Yeats.

Murtagh asked his partner for maximum effort before three out and Yeats quickened away like a true great. It proved a race-winning move as although Patkai closed the gap in the final furlong, he was never going to get to Yeats.

The winner was well backed and sent off the 6-4 favourite with Patkai returning at 9-2. Geordieland, who was never close enough to land a blow, plugged on for third at 11-4. Yeats has been installed 5-1 joint favourite with Patkai for next year’s Gold Cup with William Hill.

Yeats’s victory was the fourth of the week for Murtagh, who leads Richard Hughes by one in the top jockey competition. 

Winning trainer Aidan O’Brien was quick to pay tribute to his champion, he said: “Unbelievable - that’s all I can say.

“I was so sick this morning as I really believed this couldn’t happen.

“History is very hard to change, we knew we had a wonderful horse but usually fairytales don’t come true.

“You dream and dream and dream, we were in this position and we never would be again - great things can happen.

“It’s unbelievable and I want to say a big thanks to everyone involved.

“I think today Johnny had a lot of pressure on his shoulders and the way he handled it, and the way he rode it, it was something else. I couldn’t believe it.

“He’s an unbelievable horse and we knew there would never be another one of him.

“How Johnny could ride him with such pressure on him. I’ve never felt pressure for any race before and this horse was the only time.”

Peter Reynolds, racing manager to Patkai’s owners Ballymacoll Stud, said: “He ran a very goodrace and he stayed the trip. He just ran a little freely down to the start.

“He obviously loves it round here and it was no disgrace to be beaten by a very good horse - who is a specialist round here.

“Sir Michael [Stoute] and Ryan [Moore] were very happy with him, but I can’t tell you anything about plans at the moment.”

Courtesy: www.racingpost.com

Radiohead (right) had to survive a serious skirmish on the way to victory

RADIOHEAD gave Jamie Spencer his second win of the week in a rough renewal of the Norfolk Stakes. The winner was returned at 10-1, with 50-1 shot Reignier coming home in second and Tawaabb back in third. 

As expected, American raiderYogaroo was the first away and led the field in the opening stages. However, Star Rover and Here Now And Why were rushed up to join the leader, who could never open up a sizeable lead.Yogaroo started to falter and as his jockey, JohnVelazquez, picked up his whip, Yogaroo jinked to his left and collided with favourite Monsieur Chevalier, who in turn struck the eventual winner.

Despite this blow, Radiohead managed to regroup and came with an electric turn of foot late on to run out an impressive winner.  

“I thought it was over when the other horse hit me. When you get a bang like that at the furlong pole in a five-furlong Group race, it’s curtains, ” said Spencer.

“I couldn’t believe he was able to get going again. He was hit from side on and generally a horse would be winded, and it’s so hard to get balanced again.

“I had to stop for three or four strides, get him balanced and off Richard’s heels. It’s just surreal really.

“He is some horse and that was a great performance,” Spencer added.

Winning trainer Brian Meehan was equally impressed with the victory.

He said: “I though our chance had gone and I looked away. The horse did so well to come back under a great ride.”

Karl Burke, trainer of the runner-up, said: “I only stuck him in half an hour before the race closed because it looked like it was struggling on only about 10 entries.

“I’d have been happy to have been fifth or sixth, but he is a real progressive horse and I’m sure there’s a good race in him.”

Mick Channon was pleased with the performance of 7-1 shot Tawaabb, who finished third.

“We think there’s more improvement in him, but let’s see what happens,” said the trainer.

“There was no hanging about today and he’s a horse with plenty of boot.”

Courtesy: www.racingpost.com

Flying Cloud strikes under Frankie Dettori on her first run for Godolphin  

FLYING CLOUD gave Godolphin a much-needed fillip when powering home in the Ribblesdale Stakes to become Saeed Bin Suroor’s first winner of this year’s Royal Ascot.

Bought out of Andre Fabre’s yard after winning a Group 3 at Saint-Cloud last month, Flying Cloud made a perfect debut for Godolphin and rewarded punters who supported her into 5-1 (from 9-1) before the off.

Frankie Dettori settled Flying Cloud off the furious pace set by Anice Stellato and then taken up briefly by Uvinza, but down the home straight the pair grabbed the lead and quickened impressively leaving Flame Of Gibraltar (12-1), who threatened briefly, and Uvinza, who plugged on for third at 28-1, in their wake.

The Sir Michael Stoute-trained 9-4 favourite Leocorno, who missed the Investec Oaks in preference for this Group 2, was just edged out of the places in fourth.

Dettori, who was also notching his first winner of the week, said: “The first two days were a bit frustrating but this filly had a good chance and showed a good turn of foot, she surprised me a little.

“She should be a candidate for the Irish Oaks now.

“I think a mile and a half is spot-on but she wouldn’t want the ground much quicker than this. She’s gutsy.”

Sheikh Mohammed, the founder of Godolphin, added: “Royal Ascot is always great, with nice people, and it’s great that we have won.”

Henry Cecil, trainer of runner-up Flame Of Gibraltar, said: “She’s still a big baby and is improving all the time.

“She had a curb last year and was lame so I just couldn’t train her. She’s only now coming to herself and should go on improving.

“I would have been delighted if she was in the first four today and this was a big step up.”

Uvinza’s trainer William Knight added: “That’s what we came here for, to get some black type.

“I think we’ll now look at the Aphrodite Stakes, a Listed race at the Newmarket July meeting.”

Courtesy: www.racingpost.com