The Group 3 JRA Killavullan Stakes at Leopardstown was a tale of two unbeaten juvenile colts with lofty reputations but it was Nephrite who enhanced his further by getting the better of Born To Sea
With two Ballydoyle pacemakers - Vault and Ishvana - cutting out the running the seven furlong contest was run at a good gallop.
Born To Sea sat and Nephrite raced third and fourth throughout and at the business end Born To Sea and Johnny Murtagh made their move in the final furlong, but Nephrite who travelled particularly well with Joseph O’Brien in the saddle swooped past in the last 100 yards to win going away by one-and-a-half-lengths.
Nephrite’s trainer Aidan O’Brien said: “I’m delighted. He progressed nicely from his maiden. He travelled well today and Joseph gave him a confident ride.
“He was stepping up to seven furlongs and he looked to get it well. It was a nice solidly run race. He should prefer better ground.”
When asked about next year’s 2000 Guineas O’Brien replied: “We’ll get through the winter and we’ll see after that.”
The winner was sent off 13/8 after being backed from 2/1 on course. John Oxx’s Born To Sea (closely related to Sea The Stars and Galileo) was very popular in the morning at 4/7, however, he drifted from 8/13 at the track and went off 8/11 favourite. He was found to be lame post-race. Aaraas at 20/1 was third, two-and-three-parts-of-a-length behind the runner-up.
Nephrite is now 8/1 second favourite (from 25's) with Stan James for the 2000 Guineas behind stablemate Camelot (5/1). The same firm have pushed out Born To Sea to 10/1 (from 7/1).
Labrokes introduced the winner at 10/1 for the 2000 Guineas while Born To Sea is now 14/1 from 8/1 with that firm.
Michael Graham
