Los Angeles digs deep to deny White Birch in Curragh thriller
WINNING RETURN: Los Angeles and Ryan Moore, left, win the Group 2 Coolmore Stud City Of Troy Irish EBF Mooresbridge Stakes at the Curragh. Picture: Healy Racing
Last year’s Irish Derby victor Los Angeles had to dig deep to deny White Birch in the Group 2 Coolmore Stud City Of Troy Irish EBF Mooresbridge Stakes at the Curragh.
The Camelot colt, trained for the Coolmore partners by Aidan O’Brien and ridden by Ryan Moore, was led most of the way to the start, tracked Galen throughout the 10 furlongs before knuckling down to hit the front and, ultimately, battling to hold on by a neck.
“He’s a big, honest, powerhouse of a horse, as big as a bull,” said O’Brien. “He’s lazy, a bit like a bold child. When he gets there he doesn’t do much, but he’s very hard to get past.
"The plan has always been to come back here for the Tattersalls Gold Cup (in which he’ll face White Birch again) and then look at the Prince Of Wales at Ascot. The King George is in his plan too. He’ll have a break before a prep, probably in the Royal Whip on his way back for another crack at the Arc.”
Earlier, Officer, a close third in the Gladness on his seasonal debut, justified 10-11 favouritism in style in the listed Tetrarch, powering home to beat Currawood by almost two lengths, to spark a Ballydoyle double.
“He had a lovely run in the Gladness and won his maiden here last year,” said O’Brien. “They went a good gallop and he quickened nicely. Ryan was very happy with him. He said he got there in two strides and too early.
“The Irish Guineas looks perfect for him. And, later on, he could step up to 10 furlongs.”
The Donnacha O’Brien-trained Atsila, successful on her recent debut in Bellewstown, stepped up to land the Group 3 Coolmore Stud Auguste Rodin Athasi Stakes at the expense of Cercene and Barnavara.
A daughter of Phoenix Of Spain, she was extricated from a pocket on the inside by Gavin Ryan to score by a half-length.
O’Brien said: “She’s lazy at home, so we didn’t really know what we had. But she bolted up in Bellewstown and we decided to throw her in at the deep end here and she coped well.
“She travelled well, was tight for room but quickened nicely to win and is obviously a smart filly. I suppose we could supplement her for the Irish Guineas.”
In the two-year-old action, the Ger Lyons-trained odds-on favourite Lady Iman, successful on her debut in Dundalk, oozed class as she coasted to a cosy, length and a quarter win over Ballydoyle debutante True Love in the listed Holden Plant Rentals First Flier Stakes.
Having tracked a steady pace, Colin Keane eased the Starman filly through between the runner-up and previous winner Power Blue for an impressive win.
“She’s a lovely filly, with plenty of speed and I don’t think six furlongs will be a problem,” explained Lyons. “I’m delighted for the Tally-Ho team — they gave me the filly to promote her sire, and that’s what she’s doing. I’m looking forward to going to Naas with her next (for a Group 3 on May 18).”
And Joseph O’Brien plans a return to the Curragh, for the Marble Hill on Guineas weekend, for Andab, a wide-margin winner of the opening maiden.
Described as “a bit of a messer at home, a bit wayward mentally,” by his trainer, Dylan Brown McMonagle’s mount forged clear to score by almost five lengths, O’Brien admitting: “The dream is that is might be a Coventry horse.”
Meanwhile, the father and son combination of Shark and Paddy Hanlon started the new jumps season on a high, completing a Down Royal double with Topgun Simmy in the Pepsi Max Hurdle and Quest With Speed in the Club Mixers Handicap Chase.
