Joseph O'Brien kept it simple from the front and despite the pilot putting up a pound overweight, Empowering was able to land a gamble 12s into 11/2 in the Group 3 Leopardstown 1,000 Guineas Trial Stakes. She beat her Ballydoyle stable companion Wild Wind.
Third-placed History Note emerged from the race with plenty of credit as she found trouble in running before doing strong late work but she couldn't peg back the Anne-Marie O'Brien-owned and Aidan O'Brien-trained Empowering. The daughter of Encosta de Lago was also bred by the O'Briens under the Whisperview Trading banner.
Aidan O'Brien said: "She looked very smart the last day (when winning at Dundalk). She was drawn badly today but she kept building along.
"Joseph's claim is down to 3Ibs after that and this filly will likely go for the English Guineas now. We'll see how she is and Wild Wind would be a possibility for Newmarket as well."
Empowering was cut to 25/1 (from 40) for the 1000 Guineas with Ladbrokes.
Hayley O'Connor of Ladbrokes said:"Two fillies put forward their credentials for the Classics today at Leopardstown. The John Oxx trained Mesariya entered the frame for The Oaks, introduced at 25/1, by beating a strong field first time out while Ballydoyle's Empowering has been shortened to 25/1 for the 1000 Guineas after her winning performance."
