Donnacha O'Brien matches father's Curragh treble
The O'Brien dominance of Tattersalls Irish Guineas weekend wasn't restricted to Ballydoyle, as Donnacha O'Brien also pitched in with a treble of his own to make it six on the afternoon for the family.
The return to action of four-time Group 1 winner Porta Fortuna, in the Group 2 Lanwades Stud Stakes, was much anticipated and she duly delivered.
Ryan Moore, whose only previous ride on the four-year-old filly was a successful one in the Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket's July meeting in 2024, was back in the saddle and he sent her to the front just over a furlong from home. One Look finished to good effect but came up half a length shy of a filly who appeared to idle in front.
'It was a lovely starting point for her,' said the winning trainer. 'She did things right, relaxed nicely and quickened up well. Ryan said she got a little bit idle in front.
'That was beautiful and should set her up nicely for Ascot now. We have the option of the Queen Anne or the Duke Of Cambridge, but I think when she won so nicely and she is training well and is happy and healthy, I think we have to look at the Queen Anne.'
Earlier in the afternoon, O'Brien saddled the first two home in the Tally Ho Stud Irish EBF Fillies' Maiden. Building on the promise of her debut, in which she finished fourth behind Andab, Balantina made all the running under Oisin Murphy and comfortably kept stable companion and market leader Cape Sounion at bay.
'They are two nice fillies,' said O'Brien. 'At home, Cape Sounion would probably work a little bit better, but I think Balantina keeps a bit for herself.
'When they finish one-two, you probably think you should have split them up, but it's nice that they ran well anyway.'
The completion of the 235-1 treble had to wait until the finale, the Glenroyal Hotel And Shoda Café Irish EBF Fillies Maiden, in which the once-raced Sharpen, ridden by Gavin Ryan, proved too tough a nut for favourite Mittens to crack.
Joe Murphy, whose Cercene posted a super effort to finish third in the Guineas, earned a trip to the winner's enclosure after Shiota pipped Gloriously Glam in the QuinnBet Spring Fillies' Handicap. Winning rider Gary Carroll doubled up in the next race when the versatile Robbies Rock took the Cyroclinic.ie Handicap for trainer Gavin Cromwell.
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