Cheetah cheer for O’Brien

TOP-WEIGHT Dark Cheetah provided Aidan O’Brien with back-to-back victories in the Derrinstown Stud Birdcatcher Nursery on a day of doubles for three top trainers at Naas yesterday.

Unraced since injuring himself at Royal Ascot in June, Dark Cheetah burst through under a confident Jamie Spencer before storming clear to slam Dipterous by two and a half lengths with favourite Cairlinn third.

“He damaged a joint at Ascot and it has been a long road back for him,” said O’Brien. . “He might run again in the Group 3 (Killavullen Stakes) at Leopardstown next week.”