Brussels beats Kansas to make winning debut at the Curragh Aidan O'Brien made the perfect start to Irish 2000 Guineas day at the Curragh, as newcomer Brussels beat stablemate Kansas to lead home a Ballydoyle one-two in the opening Avenuebloodstock.com Irish EBF (C & G) Maiden. A half-brother to three previous winners, the Wootton Bassett colt was sent off 11/4 to make a winning start to his racing career. Breaking smartly, jockey Ryan Moore tracked stablemate Kansas in the opening couple of furlongs, before asking his mount for an effort over two-furlongs from home. Pushed along to lead inside the final furlong, Brussels went on to win by three-quarters-of-a-length. Kansas kept on for second, with the well backed Ger Lyons trained debutant Learntodiscover staying on for third. The latter colt was the one for money, going off 13/8f from an opening price of 4/1. “Ryan was very happy. He said he was very green, he was very babyish when he got on and going down. He was never away,” said O’Brien. “He said he will come forward a lot from it. “All these horses are running with Ascot in mind but Ryan said that he was so babyish that it might come too quick. We’ll see how much he comes on. “He said that he thought he would have no problem getting seven. He’s very big, a massive big powerful horse. “It probably wasn’t a bad race. “The second horse ran lovely. I’m not sure if he’s quick and six is far enough for him. It was five in Naas and he might be a fast horse. “I think the third horse was well fancied, Ger liked him too, so it might not have been a bad race.” Paddy Power went 14/1 about Brussels for the Coventry Stakes. Additional reporting by Gary Carson.
