Intelligence Cross gets Aidan O’Brien off to fine start at Curragh

Intelligence Cross gave trainer Aidan O’Brien a winning start to Irish Derby day when getting off the mark in the Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprise EBF Maiden at the Curragh.

Sent the 10-11 favourite on the back of a promising second on his debut three weeks ago, the War Front colt could be called the winner some way out.

Ryan Moore had Intelligence Cross close to the pace set first by Imagine If and Khukri before leading a furlong out.

He just had to be kept up to his work to score by a length and a half from Khukri, with Pious Alexander half a length away in third.

“He’s a nice horse and improved nicely. He had a lovely run under Ana (O’Brien, daughter) the first day,” said O’Brien.

“He loves fast ground and Ryan said the ground didn’t feel that bad on him. He was very happy with him. I was worried about the ground for this horse but Ryan was surprised by how nice it was.”

He added: “We’ll maybe look at the July Stakes at Newmarket with him.

“He’s very fast and I’d imagine we’ll stay at six furlongs for a good while with him – as long as we can.

“He’s a big, strong horse and made like a sprinter.”

Medicine Jack put up a game display to outpoint Peace Envoy in the Gain Railway Stakes.

The leading pair were separated across the track but though Peace Envoy had the rail, Medicine Jack galloped on resolutely in the centre of the course to come out on top.

The early pace was set by Mirdif but there were plenty in with chances in the final quarter-mile.

Peace Envoy looked to hold a narrow lead under Moore in a bid to give trainer O’Brien a 13th success in the Group Two contest.

However, the Ger Lyons-trained Medicine Jack (6-1) found more for Colin Keane and got the verdict by half a length.

Dream Of Dreams, trained in North Yorkshire, by Kevin Ryan, was a length and a half away with third.

It was a welcome change of fortune for Keane, who was involved in a nasty-looking incident earlier on the card when his mount Elusive Heights was brought down.

Breathe Easy won that dramatic race for the Paddy Power Handicap which saw two horses come down about a furlong from the finish.

Johann Bach, who had been vying for the lead all the way, stumbled and fell, catapulting Gary Halpin out of the saddle.

Elusive Heights, who was travelling right behind Johann Bach, was brought down giving Keane no chance of staying in the saddle.

Both horses and jockeys got to their feet and appeared to escape serious injury.

With Johann Bach gone, the Gavin Cromwell-trained Breathe Easy (13-2) was left to go on and win comfortably win by four and a half lengths in the hands of Wayne Lordan.

Duchess Of Andorra was second with Champagne Or Water three and a quarter lengths away third.

“It was his first run for me. He had been working very well and I thought he was very straight for his first run,” said Cromwell.

“(Owner) Everina (Kilfeather) thought the ground might be a bit too slow for him but we got away with it and Wayne said he wasn’t done with.

“He’s very straightforward and quiet at home but when he comes racing he gets wound up and hot.

“He might go to Galway for the Colm Quinn BMW Mile Handicap.”

Sruthan (10-1) denied Sovereign Debt back-to-back victories in the Dubai Duty Free Millenium Millionaire Celebration Stakes when getting up in the closing stages to snatch the Listed spoils.

Victory looked to be in Sovereign Debt’s grasp when Chris Hayes sent the Dandy Nicholls-trained seven-year-old into the lead two furlongs out, after Lily’s Rainbow and Brendan Brackan had set the pace.

However, Colm O’Donoghue conjured a late run out of Paul Deegan’s six-year-old to lead 50 yards from home and win by three-quarters of a length. Hint Of A Tint was another neck away.

“That’s great. Good horses change seasons,” said Deegan.

“Colm was brilliant on him. He said the longer he sat on him he was able to fill him up and the better he felt. He said he really wanted it today.

“I thought he was beat to be honest and nearly turned around and walked away a furlong and a half out thinking ‘he should have won’.

“The cheekpieces helped as he’s getting cute in his old age.

“He might get another run before Champions Weekend where we’ll aim for the Boomerang Stakes again.

“It depends where we get a bit of ease.”