King George rules for O’Brien

Aidan O’Brien won the Irish Stallion Farms 2-Y-0, the first juvenile event of the season over a mile, for the fifth consecutive season when King George River triumphed in Gowran Park last night, providing jockey Colm O’Donoghue with the second leg of a double.

Sent off at 5/1 (stable-companion and joint favourite Freedom Fighter finished fourth), the Danehill Dancer colt was in front from halfway and, despite showing signs of inexperience in the centre of the course, proved two and a quarter lengths too strong for the other joint-favourite Sugar Boy.

“With this weather, the two-year-olds haven’t been on the grass at home,” explained O’Donoghue. “So we don’t really know what to expect when they come racing. But this is a nice colt, very green in front up that long straight, but with plenty of scope for improvement.”