Donnacha O’Brien passes Saval Beg exam
Settled towards the rear through the early stages by 16-year-old Donnacha O’Brien, the 4-1 chance – sporting a hood for the first time – had plenty of ground to make up when favourite Panama Hat asserted inside the quarter-mile pole.
But the Aidan O’Brien-trained colt found a gap off the rail and while victory still looked unlikely with 200 yards to run, last year’s Irish Derby runner-up came out on top by what in the end looked quite a cosy half a length. RaceBets gave Kingfisher a 14-1 from 25-1 quote for the Ascot showpiece.
O’Brien’s wife Annemarie said: “The main objective today was to get him to relax and he stayed very well. You would have to let him take his chance in the Gold Cup after that. He came home really strongly.
“Donnacha is doing the Leaving Certificate at the moment and sat exams today for geography and maths.”
Radanpour took his unbeaten record to three with an all-the-way success in the King George V Cup.
Dermot Weld’s charge was unraced at two but is making rapid progress, stepping up to take Listed honours in a performance full of guts. A host of challengers queued up deep inside the final furlong, but the son of Sea The Stars was not for passing, holding on by half a length under Pat Smullen as the 4-5 favourite, keeping big-race dreams alive. Bondi Beach and Morning Mist dead-heated for second.
Weld said: “The ground is pretty fast. It has been drying out all day, and you won’t see him again on ground as fast as that. If the ground is suitable he’ll go for the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby.”
In Downpatrick, where Shane Hassett lost his claim on board 33/1 shot Bills Official, Paul Carberry proved the hero thanks to a magnificent 349/1 treble.
Carberry registered two wins for Gordon Elliott, on board Be Seeing You in the Downpatrick Looking Good Handicap Hurdle and the frustrating Fort Smith which opened his account over obstacles, at the eighteenth attempt, in the Irish T Beginners Chase.
Middle leg of the treble was Cristy’s Call, from the in-form yard of Gavin Cromwell, in the Racing All The Way Handicap Hurdle.
