By Brian Fleming
BALLYDOYLE THREE-TIMER AT HEADQUARTERS
Aidan O'Brien reported Monashee Mountain 'only a possible' to take part in Saturday's Sagitta 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket after the Danzig colt kept his unbeaten record intact under a confident ride from Mick Kinane in the Group 3 Tetrarch Stakes at the Curragh on Monday afternoon.
Just four went to post with 50-1 rank outsider Last Call making the running until Kinane coaxed the warm 2-9 fav. (from 1-3) into the lead after the furlong pole to land the spoils by two-and-a-half lengths from Last Call's stable-mate, Legal Jousting (4-1).
'We left loads in him and he was soft and fresh today,' reported the Ballydoyle maestro, before he added, ' he quickens and when he gets there he's done enough. Giant's Causeway and Berstein will run at Newmarket and this horse is more likely to come back to the Curragh for the Irish 2,000 Guineas.'
'Four days is a long time between now and Saturday and if anything happened to the other two horses, Monashee Mountain would then probably run at Newmarket,' concluded O'Brien.
Later, the O'Brien/Kinane alliance struck again, this time with the very well supported Urban Ocean. After drifting out to 2-1, several decent five figure wagers saw his odds tumble down to even money and he duly obliged by five lengths in bold pillar-to-post fashion.
'He looks stronger these days and Michael said he wants good ground,' said O'Brien, who was back in the winners enclosure one hour later when newcomer Hardy, in contrast very uneasy in the ring from 5-2 to 11-2, bolted home in the one mile 3yo maiden.
'It's my fault he never ran as he's so lazy at home but Michael said he was a different horse today and gave him a real feel. He's entered in all the good races,' said O'Brien.
BF
