Ishiguru strikes for O`Brien

Aidan O`Brien claimed yet another big sprint race as Ishiguru made a successful step up in class at Leopardstown today.

Mozart, Dietrich and King Charlemagne have all won Pattern races over five or six furlongs for the Ballydoyle trainer in recent weeks and Ishiguru emulated that trio by seeing off the British raiders in the Group Three Miller Flying Five.

Always travelling well behind the strong pace set by Malcolm Saunders` Repertory, he hit the front a furlong out under Mick Kinane and held off Frankie Dettori on Jim Goldie`s strong-finishing Indian Spark by a head.

The winner had never previously scored in better than Listed company but he is now set for a tilt at the Group One Prix de l`Abbaye at Longchamp on October 7th.

'He looks a real speed horse and the plan is to go to Paris,' confirmed O`Brien.

'He was drawn away from the pace today so he has done well to win. A fast-run five furlongs is what he wants and he travels great in his races - he doesn`t do a lot in front and Mick go there a bit too soon today.'

July Cup and Nunthorpe Stakes winner Mozart is reported in good shape ahead of his challenge for the for the Breeders` Cup Sprint on October 27th.

'Mozart is well and he will go to the Breeders` Cup,' O`Brien said. 'He will go to Southwell around three weeks or a month beforehand for a spin as we did with Giant`s Causeway last year.'

There are plenty more stars on the O`Brien conveyor belt, as the two-year-old Della Francesca showed could with a smooth win in the Beechwood EBF Maiden.

He had finished third at York on his debut last month and put that experience to good use as he justified 2-5 favouritism by an easy two and a half lengths from Fashion Guide.

'He is a lovely, long-striding horse and he learned a lot from York,' O`Brien said.

'Last year King Charlemagne got beaten at York then came back and won this maiden before winning the Group Three Tattersalls Stakes at Newmarket and this horse will possibly go for the same race.'