Sacred Bridge pulverises rivals at the Curragh

Sacred Bridge and Colin Keane (pink cap) win the Heider Family Round Tower Stakes (Group 3)

Sacred Bridge retained her unbeaten record when producing an impressive display to land the Group 3 Heider Family Round Tower 2-Y-0 Stakes at the Curragh.

Trained for Juddmonte by Ger Lyons, the daughter of Bated Breath pulverised her rivals, powering clear in the final furlong to beat her front-running stable-companion Geocentric by three and three-quarter lengths, with Ladies Church third

Sacred Bridge is now four-from-four and on course for a crack at the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket on September 25, as Shane Lyons explained: “That was very impressive. We’re delighted with both horses. Geocentric will drop back to five furlongs and we’ll freshen the winner up and head straight for the Cheveley Park.

“Colin was very impressed with her today and says she’s improving with every run. She’ll have to step-up again going into Group 1 company, but she’s a real diamond.”

Sacred Bridge (15/8 favourite) was completing a Group 3 double for Lyons and Keane (who is now just one short of his fourth century of winners), having earlier delivered 16/1 shot Acanella the winner of the Snow Fairy Fillies Stakes, at the expense of last year’s Matron heroine Champers Elysees.

Acanella, also owned by Juddmonte, held her nearest rival by three-quarters of a length, prompting Shane Lyons to comment: “She did what we were hoping all year she’d do. Today was the first time she did everything right. But next year will be her year – it should be fun. I’m delighted Barry Mahon (now in the top job with Juddmonte) is here.”

The other Group juvenile event, the Manguard Plus Flame Of Tara Fillies Stakes went to Jessica Harrington’s Galileo filly Magical Lagoon, who swooped late under Shane Foley to deny favourite Albula by three-quarters of a length.

The winning trainer stated: “She was clueless in Naas – it was only seven furlongs and she only got going late. She proved today that she needs the mile and she stayed on strongly.

“She’s an Oaks filly for next year. She’ll only have one more run this season – she has an entry in the Fillies Mile and that’s where she’ll go.”

Harrington delivered a big-race double for owner Zhang Yuesheng when Bopedro (28/1) proved a shock winner of the €80,000 Paddy Power Irish Cambridgeshire, forging clear under Conor Hoban to beat favourite Molly Poddle by two and a half lengths.

“The first-time visor made a big difference,” declared Harrington, “It’s great for Conor to win a big one like this. He’s an important part of the team and breaks all of Mr Zhang’s horses, including our earlier winner, Magical Lagoon.”

Aidan O’Brien took the opening two-year-old maiden with 5/2 favourite Bluegrass (Seamus Heffernan), who made all to beat the Joseph O’Brien-trained pair Good Heavens and Eplorers Way.

“He was very green and never travelled the first day and came forward a good bit,” said O’Brien. “He’s tough and he stays well. He should come forward more. I wouldn’t be afraid to run him in a stakes race next time.”

O’Brien completed a double when the Wayne Lordan-ridden Madonnadelrosario (16/1) beat Malayan (Colin Keane) by a half-length in the DMG Media Nursery Handicap, denying the champion-jockey a treble on the night and his century.

Meanwhile, in Down Royal, the season’s leading rider Darragh O’Keeffe registered his 26th success of the campaign on board Victor Wilson’s Mon Storm (16/1) in the featured Tommy Donnelly Bookmaker Hurdle.

Paul Townend guided 4/5 favourite Mighty Meggsie to victory in the Sean Graham Bookmakers Mares Maiden Hurdle, part of an across-the-card treble for trainer Jessica Harrington.

Bought out of Michael Bell’s for 36,000 Guineas, Realist made a successful start over hurdles on his stable debut for Denise Foster when coming from off the pace for Bryan Cooper to take the McCaCartanbet.com 3-Y-o Hurdle while Gavin Cromwell followed-up Wednesday’s Bellewstown treble by taking the Danny Boy Bookmaker Handicap Hurdle with third reserve Dazzling Darren (Conor Maxwell).

Amateur John Gleeson chalked-up his third win in the saddle when taking the mares bumper on Limerick winner and odds-on favourite Hi Stranger, owned by his father Brian and trained by John Kiely.