Racing:Cape Blanco got every yard of the mile and a half to give Aidan O'Brien a fifth successive victory in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh. Johnny Murtagh's mount got the better of a battle with stablemate Midas Touch from inside the two furlong pole to come out on top by half a length.
Fellow Ballydoyle inmate Jan Vermeer was third, while the Mark Johnston-trained Monterosso kept on for fourth having been one of the first of the principals to be niggled along.
Cape Blanco (7-2) had been impressive in the Dante Stakes at York when beating subsequent Epsom hero Workforce before flopping in the French Derby.
But he showed his Chantilly running to be all wrong with O’Brien describing it as merely a “blip”.
O’Brien said: “Johnny gave him a brilliant ride. The last day in France was a blip and we couldn’t understand it. Maybe it was the travel, it was his first day away and in the heat, something upset him and he wasn’t the horse we know. He left that behind today and showed all the courage and class we know he has.
“This is great for everybody and all the horses ran well. I’m delighted to be part of it.”
Earlier, Jeremy Noseda’s Formosina broke the extraordinary stranglehold of O’Brien in the Railway Stakes. O’Brien had won the previous five runnings of the Group Two race and struck 11 times in all through the likes of George Washington and Rock Of Gibraltar, accounting for Samuel Morse being sent off the 5-2 favourite.
Samuel Morse did absolutely nothing wrong here as he jostled for the lead with Clondinnery, but he was unable to contain the late charge of Formosina (7-2) and Ryan Moore and had to surrender by just a short-head. Clondinnery was a further neck behind.
Formosina finished third to the Coventry Stakes winner Strong Suit on his debut before streaking clear at Doncaster, and this success came as no surprise to Noseda.
Murtagh had a very lucky escape in the opener when Petronius Maximus was involved in a freak incident. Murtagh was still travelling well in the Dubai Duty Free Full Of Surprises EBF Maiden when his mount suddenly seemed to lose his action and crashed into the rails.
But Petronius Maximus (5-4 favourite) got up and cantered away while Murtagh managed to rise to his feet and walked back to the weighing room with O’Brien.
They had been challenging Michael Cleere on Sydney Harbour (4-1), who were left
alone and finished two lengths clear.
Murtagh showed he had suffered no ill-effects when making all on O’Brien’s Emperor Claudius (2-1 favourite) to hold Gold Bubbles in the Woodies D.I.Y Celebration Stakes.
British sprinters tend to have the edge over their Irish rivals and overseas raiders filled the first five places in the Dubai Duty Free Sapphire Stakes.
The winner Glamorous Spirit (16-1), who was punched home half a length clear of Reverence, brought about several landmarks for Welsh trainer Ron Harris, who had also saddled the unplaced Judge ‘N Jury.
Next home were Elnawin, Piccadilly Filly and Spin Cycle.
There was further joy for the British raiders in the Dubai Duty Free Double Millionaire Handicap through Sea Lord (4-1). Frankie Dettori rode his rivals to sleep with a stop-start pace and had too many guns for Scandal Sheet.
Invincible Ash stormed up the stands rail to claim the National Lottery Sweepstakes Race (Premier Handicap).
The Michael Halford-trained five-year-old was an armchair ride for Gary Carroll, coming right away for a five-length victory over the aptly-named Brushed Aside.