Mitbaahy grabs Greenlands glory

Mitbaahy led home a British one-two in the Weatherbys Ireland Greenlands Stakes at the Curragh.

Charles Hills’ 9/1 chance was one of five horses who had travelled across the Irish Sea to line up for the six-furlong Group Two, with Curragh specialist Art Power the 7/2 favourite for Tim Easterby.

In the early stages the winner did not feature heavily and after a hesitant start he was settled in last until the final furlong.

There he began to come alive under Jamie Spencer, switching out to find some room and then snatching the lead in the final strides to triumph by three-quarters of a length from Edward Bethell’s Regional.

Spencer said: “The leaders got a length or two on me and I think he’s done well to run them down.

“He’s obviously an improving horse and you’d be looking forward to him for Ascot now.

“There is a strong headwind and everything was in his favour today.

“I thought he had a good chance today because he’d been running at Newmarket where it’s notoriously hard to come from behind, especially with all the ridges.

“Down into the dip he’s got unbalanced twice and has run good races.

“I felt when you’re running at a track where the ground meets you, he was always going to find his acceleration again.”

Betfair cut Mitbaahy from 25/1 to 16/1 for both the King Charles III Stakes and the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot as a result.

Arizona Blaze continued to impress with victory in the GAIN Marble Hill Stakes at the Curragh.

Adrian Murray and Amo Racing’s Sergei Prokofiev colt won on debut before coming home the runner-up behind the highly-regarded Whistlejacket next time out.

Both runs were over five furlongs, and for his third career start he stepped up to six under David Egan when a 7/1 chance.

The two-year-old was always prominent in the Group Three, taking up the lead early but finding himself under pressure as Camille Pissarro, the 4/6 favourite, loomed in the final furlong.

Arizona Blaze would not allow himself to be passed, however, and despite hanging right he still prevailed by a head to book his place at Royal Ascot.

“The plan was to drop him out and come from behind but there was no pace early on and he had choice but to go on,” said Murray.

“He stuck at it very well. He’s still not the finished article, there is more improvement in him between now and the Coventry Stakes.

“He was an early horse but we gave him an easy time of it after that to give him time to grow into himself.

“The last day he got beat here he wouldn’t have been 110 per cent.

“He had a right little bit of a blow after that race, so he’ll come on again.”

On training such high calibre horses, Murray added: “It’s dream stuff. I never could have imagined that this would happen to me.

“Robson (Aguiar, of Amo Racing) asked me two and a half or three years ago if I would train for them. He said that we’re going to be training top drawer stuff and I kind of took it with a pinch of salt but one year has been better than the next.”

Henri Matisse battles for debut victory

Henri Matisse got off the mark at the first opportunity when taking the Tally Ho Stud Irish EBF Maiden at the Curragh.

The Wootton Bassett colt, who is half brother to Tenebrism and Statuette, was making his debut under Ryan Moore and was sent off the 11/8 favourite.

Henri Matisse made a slightly slow start, racing at the rear of the field and although there were signs of greenness, he knuckled down to see off a challenge from Joseph O’Brien’s Cadogan and prevail by a short head.

“He’s a lovely bred horse, I think Joseph liked his horse as well,” said the winning trainer.

“He’ll improve a lot. He was babyish at home, mentally. Ryan nursed him as much as he could and gave him a lovely ride.

“He’ll be very happy if he wants to step up to seven too, he’s a lovely horse I’d say.”

When asked if he could be a Coventry horse, O’Brien added: “He could, it depends on how much he’s going to come on. Obviously if he was going he’d have to have another run as he was very babyish.

“Through the race he was very green, everything was happening slow. It was a lovely introduction.

“Ryan loved him though, he said he was lovely but he was babyish and green. When he really wanted him, he said he stuck his head out.

“He has a fast pedigree but what is unusual about Wootton Bassett is that he can get a fast horse as well as a middle-distance horse. They can do everything really, it will be interesting.”

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