No stopping O'Brien
Aidan O’Brien strengthened his already powerful hand for next year with a juvenile double thanks to wins with Aussie Rules and Fire And Rain at Newmarket on Thursday.
The Ballydoyle trainer’s horses dominate the betting for the Classics and now he has two more colts with big-race potential on his hands.
Aussie Rules earned a quote of 25-1 from VC Bet for the 2000 Guineas with a battling short-head verdict over Killybegs in the Somerville Tattersall Stakes under Kieren Fallon.
The Danehill colt could now be stepped up to Group One company back on the Rowley Mile next month for the Darley Dewhurst Stakes.
O’Brien said: “He loves fast ground and will make up into a lovely horse. “We’ll see how he is and could come back in a couple of weeks for the Dewhurst.”
Fallon added: “He’s very tough and he’s going to be much better next year.”
The brace was completed when Fire And Rain made a winning debut in the Macmillan Cancer Relief Coffee Morning Maiden Stakes.
The son of Derby winner Galileo wore down Mashaahed inside the last of the eight furlongs to score by a length.
Fire And Rain is 33-1 with Ladbrokes and 40-1 with Paddy Power and Cashmans to emulate his sire at Epsom next June.
“He seems just like his dad – a big, long-striding horse – and he probably won’t run again this season,” O’Brien said.
“He’s got a great attitude and he’ll be a smashing horse for next year.”
Boogie Street showed his rivals a clean pair of heels in the Rous Stakes.
Winning trainer Richard Hannon was represented by his son, Richard, who said: “When he gets things his own way he’s a very good horse – it takes a Ferrari to beat him.
“The King’s Stand (second) was a great run and since then he’s been a little bit up and down. He’s just been coming back into a bit of form and we’ll have a look at the Hong Kong Sprint if we get an invite, the fast ground will suit him.”
Art Eyes gained a well-deserved Listed win in the Unicoin Homes Noel Murless Stakes.
The David Elsworth-trained filly had run well on a number of occasions in a busy campaign, including last Saturday when she finished a respectable fourth behind Ouija Board in a Group Three contest on the Rowley Mile.
“This filly has progressed and she should have been third last Saturday with a bit of luck,” Elsworth said.
“I think she’s a filly who will stay in training next year. She keeps improving, she’s very resilient, very tough.”
Trainer John Gosden and jockey Jimmy Fortune maintained their fine run in the top juvenile races when Murfreesboro justified 4-1 favouritism in the £250000 Tattersalls October Auction Stakes.
They enjoyed Group One and Two successes with Nannina and Leo respectively at the weekend and Murfreesboro kept up the good work with a three-quarters of a length verdict over Blades Girl.
Gosden said: “He hasn’t been over-raced and I’ve been waiting for this race and it was worth the wait. That will be it for this season and I think he’ll make a sprinter next year.”
Murfreesboro’s older sister Paradise Isle was also on the mark when she repeated her victory of 12 months ago in the European Breeders Fund Fillies’ Handicap to round off a good day for their breeder, Barry Green of the Bickmarsh Stud.
