Fairytale success

Fairy Godmother came from last to first to book her ticket to Royal Ascot in the Coolmore Stud Irish EBF Fillies Sprint Stakes at Naas.

Odds-on backers had their fingers burnt after the Night Of Thunder filly was beaten into second place by the reopposing Sparkling Sea on her racecourse debut three weeks ago and she was a 6/5 favourite to take her revenge in the rematch.

Given a patient ride by Ryan Moore, Fairy Godmother quickened up smartly from the rear of the six-strong field to throw down her challenge fast and late and this time she proved a neck too strong for Sparkling Sea, with California Dreamer close up behind in third.

Paddy Power cut the winner to 5/1 from 10/1 for the Albany Stakes and O’Brien confirmed the meeting as her intended next port of call.

He said: “We thought that she would win the first day, but she was very green and obviously with a first time out two-year-old, anything can happen. The filly that beat her is obviously a very good filly.

“Even though they went slow today, the plan was to drop her in and teach her and we needed to find out what way to ride her in Ascot. Ryan said she’s very classy, gets six furlongs very well, as we saw, and will get seven.

“I’d say she’s an Albany filly, that’s the way she looks. She will have learned a lot from today.”

Fables targets Royal honours

The King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot is next on the agenda for Aesop’s Fables after he bounced back back to form in the Listed Sole Power Sprint Stakes.

Aidan O’Brien’s speedster was placed twice at Group One level last season, finishing third in both the Prix de l’Abbaye at ParisLongchamp and the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita.

Ryan Moore’s mount failed to fire on his first start of the year in the Woodlands Stakes at this venue three weeks ago, but raised his game to win by a neck from Twilight Jet, with 150/1 shot So Majestic just a neck further behind in third.

“He came really good last year and was only just beaten in an Abbaye and a Breeders’ Cup Sprint,” said O’Brien.

“He usually takes a few runs to get right. We ran him the last day in blinkers on soft ground and he ran very keen and just didn’t finish out, so we left them off him today. We’re delighted with him. The ground is beautiful here and he’s a big, powerful, fast horse.

“He’s hardy and a real sprinter. We are thinking of the five-furlong race at Ascot.”

Treasure lands O’Brien hat-trick

Treasure Isle is also likely to be on O’Brien’s Royal Ascot squad after putting his experience to good use to provide the trainer with a third successive victory in the Coolmore Stud Calyx Race.

Second on his debut at the Curragh four weeks ago, the No Nay Never colt was an 8/13 favourite to go one better and follow in the hoofprints of the previous two winners, The Antarctic and River Tiber.

Sent straight to the lead by Moore, Treasure Isle was given a thorough test by Jessica Harrington’s newcomer Saratoga Special once challenged, but dug deep to see her off by half a length.

“Ryan said he was very green and was surprised how green he was as he was swapping and changing his legs and looking. He felt that he had plenty still to learn but has a lot of speed,” said O’Brien.

“We thought he was going to be one for Royal Ascot and hopefully he knows enough. He certainly has the speed for it. We’ll see how he takes the run and how much he comes on from it.

“River Tiber won this last year and went on to win the Coventry, but this horse will be very happy staying at five furlongs.”

Mutasarref justifies market support

The Ger Lyons-trained Mutasarref claimed top honours in the Owenstown Stud Stakes under a confident ride from champion jockey Colin Keane.

The well-backed 13/8 shot looked all dressed up with nowhere to go when pinned against the rail.

Keane did not panic and once the daylight came, his mount was well able to reel in the leaders and score by three-quarters of a length without being asked for maximum effort.

Lyons said: “The more trouble he gets into in a race, the more he seems to like it. He came back from an injury and as Colin said he’s back to himself.

“That’s his grade and seven furlongs. A mile is just a tad beyond him.”

Commonwealth Cup for Bucanero

Bucanero Fuerte saw off all comers to make a successful start to his campaign in the Goffs Lacken Stakes.

Adrian Murray’s Wootton Bassett colt proved himself at the very highest level as a juvenile last season, winning the Group Two Railway Stakes and the Group One Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh as well as finishing third in the Coventry at Royal Ascot.

He was well beaten by Henry Longfellow on his final start of 2023 in the National Stakes in September, but proved he retains plenty of ability with a determined front-running display on his comeback.

Dropping back to six furlongs at Group Three level, 2/1 shot Bucanero Fuerte was on the pace from the off in the hands of David Egan and with the stands’ rail to help, he stuck to his guns deep inside the last of six furlongs to repel the late thrust of 5-4 favourite Givemethebeatboys by a head.

Paddy Power left the winner’s odds for the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot next month unchanged at 8/1, but Coral cut him to 6/1 from the same price.

Robson Aguiar, Murray’s assistant, said: “He’s a nice horse and is going to improve a lot because we were not hard on him and he will get fit from the race.

“He will go over six furlongs at Ascot. He has great speed and he stays well, so that is the plan for him now.”

Rest of the action

Chicago Critic was a 7/1 winner of the Royal Ascot Trials At Naas Handicap for jockey Ben Coen and trainer Johnny Murtagh.

The winning handler said: “I always thought he might be a soft ground horse, but we worked him on the grass last week and Ben was very impressed with him.

“He’s been gelded since his last run as well so maybe it’s a bit of both.

“I’m delighted the way he’s done it today and he might be a horse to go for the Britannia in Ascot.”

Brian Duffy’s Plume Noire was a 9/1 winner of the Tote Guarantee Available On Course & Tote.ie Handicap under Joey Sheridan, while the concluding Twydil/Clovelly Irish EBF Fillies Maiden went the way of Jessica Harrington’s Serialise (8/1).

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