Mashhoor and Ben Coen© Photo Healy Racing
The FBD Hotels & Resorts Orby Stakes proved a real triumph for the Johnny Murtagh yard with Mashhoor beating stablemate Annerville in the 1m4f Listed race at the Curragh.
The pacesetting Annerville was tackled by Mashhoor early in the straight, and the 2/1 favourite responded gamely under Ben Coen to assert inside the final 100 yards.
A length and a half separated the pair at the line with Ottilien a further two lengths back in third.
Murtagh said, "The plan was always to come back on Guineas weekend, we had a great time here last year. When he got a rating of 102 this looked like the perfect race although 1m4f was a little unknown.
“The horse has been training really well at home and showing all the right signs that he had improved. I'm really delighted the way he won today.
“He can win at 1m2f and now he can get 1m4f so there are plenty of races for him.
“We went to Ascot last year and the ground was firm, he probably didn't enjoy that. We'll make an entry for him but there are plenty of options.”
Quotes by Gary Carson
