Lake Victoria bounces back to her best to seal Moore four-timer

Lake Victoria bounced back to her best in the Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas, sealing a four-timer for Ryan Moore and a treble for Aidan O'Brien.

Unbeaten in five starts as a juvenile, the Frankel bay could only manage a disappointing sixth on her return to action at Newmarket earlier this month.

Expected to regain the winning thread this afternoon, she was sent off the clear favourite at 10/11.

Settled behind the leaders on the inner and angled to the outer for room from the two-furlong pole, she soon tackled the front-running California Dreamer

Edging by that rival inside the final 200 yards, the market leader was pushed clear in the closing stages and came home two-and-a-quarter lengths to the good.

Supported from 125/1 to 50s, the aforementioned California Dreamer finished a gallant second under David Egan for Adrian Murray, while the Joe Murphy-trained Cercene (20/1) was another length-and-a-quarter back in third.

"All the people around her have done an incredible job with her. She was only ready to start going to Newmarket. We were going to come here first time but the way it worked she went there," O'Brien, who was earlier successful with Albert Einstein and Los Angeles said.

"We thought she ran an incredible race in the circumstance. Ryan looked after her and was over the moon with her.

"Everything went well, it doesn't always go right but everything went great since Newmarket and her work was out of this world really.

"We never had a filly that could win a Group 1 over six, seven and a mile before as a two-year-old.

"She went to Newmarket getting ready for a racecourse gallop and was beaten only a length or two in the Guineas. She has all the speed in the world, she travels and does everything.

"I'm so delighted for the lads, they put so much in. From the time the mare was covered, all the way it's a mass of people.

"She's out of a class mare (Quiet Reflection), an absolutely top-class sprinter and this filly has that turn of foot as well.

"Ryan gave her an incredible ride. He had her in perfect position and when he had to make a gap he was able to make a gap.

"When he asked her to quicken the last furlong she really did for him.

"The plan was to come here and go to the Coronation, that's always been the plan for her. Obviously the lads will decide that but I'd imagine if everything is well, and everyone is happy, that's where she will go.

"Ryan had a big smile, I haven't seen him smile like that for a long time! He had her in the perfect position but he still had to make a hole.

"He was cool and when he felt he was going to get it he got it and went. A great fella and I'm delighted for him.

"We saw yesterday in the Guineas that we thought there was pace and there wasn't so Ryan was prepared.

"Sometimes you can sit back and if there's not pace you are in trouble, unless you are down the outside to get a clear run.

"He was happy to go today if there was going to be no pace and he ended up just behind the pace and he was obviously happy where he was.

"We couldn't be happier with her. The ground was beautiful and everything worked lovely for her."

"She's an exceptional filly, she had an unbelievable two-year-old campaign and Newmarket just wasn't her," Moore, who was earlier successful on Albert Einstein, Porta Fortuna and Los Angeles, added.

"Today we haven't gone mad, we've gone quite steady and I've had to wait behind horses and they couldn't really bring me into the race.

"She showed a really good turn of foot. When I got out and got upsides at the furlong mark she really quickened. She done it really nicely.

"She done everything beautifully today, she's come on massively from Newmarket and she's really exciting."

STEWARDS REPORTS

G.M. Ryan, rider of Atsila trained by Donnacha Aidan O'Brien, reported to the Clerk of the Scales that his mount was short of room leaving the stalls. The Raceday Stewards reviewed the video footage of the start and were satisfied that no further action was warranted.

The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board Veterinary Officer examined Simmering (GB), trained by Ollie Sangster (in GB), at the request of the Raceday Stewards and reported the animal to be post race normal.

Additional reporting by Gary Carson