Sir Alex Ferguson had his colours carried to classic success when Rock Of Gibraltar led home a 1-2-3 for trainer Aidan O'Brien in the Entenmann's Irish 2,000 Guineas.
The Danehill colt, the first horse since Rodrigo De Triano in 1992 to complete the Newmarket/Curragh 2,000 Guineas double, scored in effortless fashion. Mick Kinane settled him at the rear of the seven runner field and, after making smooth headway inside the final quarter mile, eased to the front on a tight rein to beat Century City by a facile length-and-a-half. O'Brien recorded a clean-sweep of the placings for the second successive year as Della Francesca was a further three lengths back in third.
'He's won on all sorts of ground, and that's the mark of a good horse,' said a delighted Ferguson, who added, 'The plan was to hold onto him as long as possible. O'Brien, who nominated the St James Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot as the next objective, said, 'He learned a lot last year as he wasn't molly coddled, and has been working really well since winning at Newmarket.'
Marino Marini is very much part of the Ballydoyle juvenile team for Royal Ascot after justifying odds-on support with ease in the Sara Lee Marble Hill Stakes. The grey son of Storm Cat quickened past Petite Histoire at the furlong pole, and stretched clear to score by two-and-a-half-lengths from the staying on Luminata.
'He's a smart horse, and has loads of pace. I have Royal Ascot in mind for a number of previous winners including Tomahawk and Statute Of Liberty, and this fellow will also be part of our plans,' said O'Brien.
Tiger Royal relished the testing ground when turning in a career best effort to take the Group 3 Weatherbys Ireland Greenlands Stakes. Niall McCullagh's mount shot clear over a furlong out to beat Tendulkar by three lengths. 'He was very impressive today, and deserved his Group win. He's entitled to a crack now at the Kings Stand Stakes in Royal Ascot,' said trainer Dermot Weld.
McCullagh went on to partner a 164/1 double on the afternoon when topweight Irish Empire just got the better of Hasikiya in the Boyle Sports Handicap.
Local permit holder Bill Farrell enjoyed his biggest success to-date when saddling Kramer to land the opening Pat Doran Construction Handicap. The six-year-old gelding made all under John Murtagh, staying on strongly in the straight to see off the challenge of Feel The Pride by two-and-a-half-lengths. 'This is my third year training, and my only previous win was after a stewards enquiry,' said Farrell, who only has a couple in training.
Alan Magee
