Marengo battles to Ballysax victory

Battle Of Marengo proved a convincing winner of the Group 3 PW McGrath Memorial Ballysax Stakes, the highlight of a treble for Aidan and Joseph O’Brien in testing ground at Leopardstown yesterday.

A Group 2 winner last year and penalised 5lb. for that reason, the Galileo colt had to battle to get the better of Sugar Boy by a length and three-quarters but, ultimately won well, and will return to Leopardstown for the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial next month.

Aidan O’Brien declared, “You couldn’t ask him to do any more in that ground. It was his first time racing beyond a mile and he wasn’t stopping. He’s so relaxed and only does what he has to do.”