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Garden blooms for Aidan O'Brien on first try over a mile and a half in Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot
Garden blooms for Aidan O'Brien on first try over a mile and a half in Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot

Irish Independent

time18 hours ago

  • Sport
  • Irish Independent

Garden blooms for Aidan O'Brien on first try over a mile and a half in Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot

Having raced handily behind runaway front-runner Island Hopping, Moore produced his mount to lead entering the final two furlongs and the daughter of Saxon Warrior cleared away to win by three and a quarter lengths. The lightly raced Understudy (40/1) stayed on from off the pace into second, with the 2/1 favourite Catalina Delcarpio half a length further back in third. A Listed winner at Naas last time, Garden Of Eden was providing O'Brien with a third consecutive Ribblesdale Stakes, following Warm Heart (2023) and Port Fairy (2024). O'Brien said: 'I was impressed with that. Garden Of Eden is getting better, which is great. We always thought stepping up in trip would help her. We stepped her up to a mile and a quarter the last day and she improved a lot. 'She is by Saxon Warrior and, when they go up in distance, they do get better. The Irish Oaks would be a possibility, but she could also go to America for a Grade 1 over there – we will have to see.' Moore said: 'Garden Of Eden was very impressive. She has been gradually improving. Aidan kept saying every time she steps up, she will get better. 'We went a hard pace and got a bit detached. She kind of dropped the bridle and ran in snatches. Billy [Lee on the favourite] sneaked down the inside but, when I asked her to quicken, Garden Of Eden quickened very well. Just typical Aidan – he keeps making them better." Understudy's co-trainer Thady Gosden said: 'She has run a very nice race there. It was only the third start of her life. She won well at Southwell last time out and it was a change of scene here today. She is a homebred of Bjorn Nielsen's, with a very good pedigree. When they are upped as much in grade that quickly, you're not quite sure how it will go, but we hoped she would run a good race, and she has.' Paddy Twomey said of the third: 'Catalina Delcarpio is a lovely filly and ran a career best. She probably just didn't see out the trip today, but I think when she is a little bit stronger and a little bit older, she will. She is just coming into herself and I think she will be a very good four-year-old. We side-stepped Epsom and races like that on purpose, because I think it was coming too soon for her. I doubt I will run her in the Irish Oaks. Maybe something like a Blandford Stakes on Irish Champions weekend, something like that, over 10 furlongs.'

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