Galway Hurdle or Ascot beckon for O'Brien's Mr Percy's after impressive win at the Curragh

Irish Examiner

4 days ago

Ousted as favourite by Sixandahalf, the Joseph O'Brien-trained Mr Percy (2/1) availed of bottom-weight to land the Sky Bet Race To The Ebor (Premier) Handicap at the Curragh.
Ridden by 5lb claimer Wayne Hassett, the five-year-old was boxed-in along the inside early in the straight, but got a gap in sufficient time to challenge and master 25/1 shot Jabbar by a neck, with former Group 1 winner Helvic Dream in third.
'Wayne gave him a lovely ride - he had a nice draw, got into a nice spot behind the leaders, waited for the gap and was tough when he got it,' was O'Brien's summing-up of the race.
'He's a smart horse. He won a Grade 2 novice hurdle in Fairyhouse and we're learning about him. I think cheekpieces, good ground and being delivered late are what he wants.
'We might look at one of the handicaps in Ascot, although it might be a bit too soon. Or we could look at the Galway Hurdle and come back here in the autumn for the Irish Cesarewitch.'
In the other premier handicap action, the Michael Grassick-trained Gazelle D'or, a beaten favourite at Fairyhouse last Friday and wearing cheekpieces for the first time, made no mistake when coming through inside the final furlong to beat Brigid's Cloak by a length in the five-furlong Sky Bet Handicap.
'It's a nice pot to win,' said Grassick following the Equiano filly's success under Wayne Lordan, 'Nothing followed the leader in Fairyhouse. We were too far back and he never came back. The drop back to five furlongs helped her and this was the right race for her.
'She's a hard, tough, honest filly, very straight-forward. There are plenty of races for her and we might stick to five for now. Black type will be the plan later in the season.'
Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore struck on the double in the two-year-old maidens, scoring with newcomers Amadeus Mozart and Flushing Meadows, both sons of Wootton Bassett, brining Ballydoyle's tally in the 2025 juvenile ranks to eleven wins.
Sent off 10/11 favourite for the opening seven-furlong Sky Bet For The Fans Irish EBF Maiden, Amadeus Mozart produced a workmanlike display to hold promising stable-companion Dorset by a half-length, prompting O'Brien to comment, 'He's a lovely big colt and he should come forward plenty. Ryan liked him and feels he won't mind stepping up in trip.
'He's still very green and we won't rush him. He needs time and will appreciate going a mile.'
The Ger Lyons-trained Evening Blues, runner-up to Albert Einstein in Naas last time, proved friendless in the market for the six-furlong Businessplus.ie Irish EBF 2-Y-0 Maiden but flopped in a race which saw Ballydoyle colt Flushing Meadows justify market support (7/2 to 5/2), at the expense of 80/1 shot The Piper's Call.
'He'll have no problem going into a group race at six furlongs,' stated O'Brien, 'He's a lovely colt and, like the first horse, hadn't been away. He's sharp and came here with a view going to Ascot, but that might come a bit quick.
'He'll have no problem going seven furlongs, but we might stick to six for the moment – he might come back here for the 'Railway' (on Derby weekend).'
Jessica Harrington enjoyed a welcome change of luck when seven-race maiden Cold Hearted (Shane Foley) swooped late in the Newtown Anner Stud colours to deny trail-blazing favourite Stella Alpina by a half-length in the Spar Shop At The Curragh Maiden over six furlongs.
'The filly deserved it and I think I deserved it too, after all the placed horses we've had,' quipped a relieved Harrington.