Racing

Aidan O’Brien duo Henri Matisse and Bedtime Story impress with Curragh wins

Trainer looks to have strengthened his Classic hand for next season after successful afternoon

Henri Matisse ridden by Ryan Moore wins the Coolmore Stud Wootton Bassett Irish European Breeders Fund Futurity Stakes at the Curragh. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA Wire
Sat Aug 24 2024 - 18:05

Henri Matisse strengthened Aidan O’Brien’s potential Classic hand by providing the trainer with a remarkable 17th success in the Coolmore Stud Wootton Bassett Irish EBF Futurity Stakes at the Curragh.

The Ballydoyle handler has unsurprisingly dominated this Group Two contest over the past 30 years, with Giant’s Causeway (1999), Hawk Wing (2001), Gleneagles (2014), Churchill (2016) and last season’s victor Henry Longfellow among his raft of Futurity winners.

Having won his first two starts at this track, including a narrow victory in the Railway Stakes at the end of June, Henri Matisse was a 5-6 favourite under jockey Ryan Moore to complete his hat-trick and quickened up smartly on his first appearance over seven furlongs to get up and beat Hotazhell by a length.

Paddy Power cut the Wootton Bassett colt to 10-1 from 12-1 for next year’s 2,000 Guineas, making him their joint-second favourite behind his Acomb Stakes-winning stablemate The Lion In Winter at 7-1.

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“I’m very happy with him. He’s lazy and he quickens,” said O’Brien. “That is what he was doing over six and when he can do it over seven, you would be delighted really. He has that turn of foot.

“He swerved when he got there. He’s green and is still a baby obviously. The plan is to go for the National Stakes.”

Bedtime Story (right) ridden by Ryan Moore wins the Alpha Centauri Debutante Stakes at the Curragh. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

It may have lacked the fireworks of some of her previous starts, but Bedtime Story ultimately maintained her unbeaten record with a hard-fought victory in the Alpha Centauri Debutante Stakes at the Curragh.

A daughter of Frankel out of dual Nunthorpe heroine Mecca’s Angel, O’Brien’s filly made a winning debut at Leopardstown in June before producing a scintillating display to land the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot by nine and a half lengths.

Having since completed her hat-trick with a comfortable success in Leopardstown’s Silver Flash Stakes, Bedtime Story was a 1-16 favourite to make it four from four in a race her trainer had won on 13 previous occasions, but it was harder work that most would have anticipated.

Moore’s mount was still in third place passing the furlong marker, with her stablemate Exactly and Jessica Harrington’s Barnavara in her sights.

Moore had to resort to his whip to ensure Bedtime Story bridged the gap, but she did get rolling and was half a length in front of Exactly at the line, with Barnavara a neck further behind in third.

O’Brien said: “We didn’t want to go too fast today as it was a prep for the next day. She has a lot of speed early and Ryan was lovely on her as we didn’t want to empty her out today.

“She needed to get down and race a little bit late, but we couldn’t be happier really. She’ll go for the Moyglare now.”

Bedtime Story is an unchanged 3-1 favourite for next year’s 1,000 Guineas with Coral, who also make her their 5-1 market leader for the Oaks.