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Kensington collects Group 3 honours for the O'Briens

Kensington Lane and Chris Hayes (left) beat Black Caviar Gold Kensington Lane and Chris Hayes (left) beat Black Caviar Gold
© Healy Racing Photos

Donnacha O’Brien bagged a quick double at the Curragh this afternoon when Kensington Lane ran out a game winner of the Coolmore Auguste Rodin Irish EBF Athasi Stakes.

Chris Hayes tracked front-runner White Sand Beach in the Group 3 contest before letting his mount take a narrow lead two-and-a-half furlongs from home.

She dug deep in the closing stages when pressed by Black Caviar Gold to secure a three-parts-of-a-length victory in the mile contest.

The 14/1 winner (33/1 this morning) holds an entry in the Irish 1,000 Guineas and O’Brien, who trains the winner for his mother Anne-Marie, said:-

"She won well, back on nicer ground. I thought she was way too big a price today. She actually ran well on soft ground in Leopardstown (when seventh to True Love). She is a Group 3 winner now. 

"She's in the Guineas, so she'll probably go there.

“She has a lot of gate speed so she's one that could end up maybe in the US, in one of those mile-and-a-quarter Grade 1's later on in the year. That could suit her. She is a smart filly and, she is improving. 

"I think definitely, if she goes abroad on a turning track, a mile-and-a-quarter will be no problem to her. That's what I'm thinking at the minute." 

(Quotes by John O’Riordan)

1st
14/1
Tote €15.40 €3.30
2nd
0.75L
8/1
€1.70
3rd
0.5L
10/11Fav
€1.30
4th
1.5L
7/2
About Gary Carson
Gary started out as a trainee/assistant journalist with the Sporting Life newspaper and has worked in the racing industry for over 25 years. He has been with the Press Association since 2013 and won the Irish Field Nap Table in 2016. He enjoys working with horses and trained his own horse, Mamaslittlestar, to win a point-to-point in 2019.