Saoirse Abu was almost ignored in the betting for yesterday's Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh but the race's only Group One winner proved the folly of that with a length-and-a-half defeat of the odds-on favourite Listen.
Jim Bolger's filly joined the 1986 winner Minstrella as the only horses ever to complete the Phoenix Stakes-Moyglare double with a no-nonsense performance that catapulted her to among the leading ante-post fancies for next year's 1,000 Guineas.
"The Guineas is her real target and already she is crying out for a mile," said Bolger after some bookmakers cut Saoirse Abu to as low as 12 to 1 for Newmarket next May.
Anyone underestimating her chance there will have got a warning yesterday as her 25 to 1 defeat of Henrythenavigator here in August didn't seem to cut the mustard with punters who plunged on Listen to atone for an unlucky defeat on her last start.
However, Aidan O'Brien's filly didn't pick up as expected when pulled to the outside by Kieren Fallon and Saoirse Abu was comfortably holding her at the line.
"She's a tough, very professional filly who takes things as they come. We've been very happy with her all week," said Bolger who won previous renewals of Ireland's most valuable juvenile fillies race with Priory Belle (1995) and Park Appeal (1984.)
"Plans are fluid. We have some more coming up that have to get a chance so she is not certain to run again this season."
Listen was an expensive failure and lengthened out to 14 to 1 for the Guineas but Fallon was happy that she had not run up to her best.
"She wasn't herself, she was a little bit flat, and didn't quicken the way she can," he said.
Mad About You, owned by the big-race sponsors, filled third with the the Clive Brittain-trained €30,000 supplementary entry Albabilia only fourth.
Bolger and Kevin Manning also landed the Listed Dance Design Stakes with Many Colours who was a head too good for the David Wachman pair, Magic Carpet and Navajo Moon.
It was a memorable afternoon for local trainer Ken Condon who secured his first Group victory when the 14 to 1 shot Norman Invader broke his maiden in style in the Round Tower Stakes.
Colm O'Donoghue pounced late on the $160,000 purchase to head the 25 to 1 Perfect Polly with the odds-on favourite Great Barrier Reef only third.
"It took us a while to figure out how to ride him properly. He needs riding with plenty of confidence and Colm did that today. He has always shown us plenty which is why we've kept running him in good company," said Condon who has a lofty target for the colt.
"He is Breeders' Cup nominated and we will have a look at the new juvenile turf race at Monmouth," he added. "But he is a big horse who will make a nice three-year-old."
O'Donoghue missed out on a double when Eight Up was beaten by his stable companion Baron De'l in the 10-furlong handicap and instead it was Berry who doubled up in the Irish Cambridgeshire aboard Jalmira.
Benbaun scored a three in a row in the Flying Five Stakes, and a fifth track win in all, when just edging out Dandy Man in a thrilling finish. Mark Wallace's consistent gelding will return to Japan for a valuable sprint next month.
