Queenstown makes triumphant return in Irish Leger Trial Queenstown bounced back from injury to land the Comer Group International Irish St Leger Trial at the Curragh. On a card otherwise dominated by Joseph O’Brien and his stable jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle, who enjoyed four and five winners respectively, it was Aidan O’Brien’s six-year-old who claimed victory in the one-mile-six-furlong Group Three on his return from 300 days off the track. The 9-1 shot was last seen finishing second in the Prix Royal-Oak at Saint-Cloud last October and after striding to a four-and-a-half-length verdict over Kizlyar, O’Brien was quick to praise both the resilience of the horse and patience of the team at Ballydoyle who have nursed him back to health. “He was a long time off. It has taken a big team to get him back. He had an injury at the end of last year and it’s incredible that he came back,” said the trainer. “He’ll go for the two races that he was second in last year – the Prix du Cadran and the French Leger (Prix Royal-Oak). “It’s great because he is a gelding and they just get better and better. He was only ready to start today. Wayne (Lordan) gave him a lovely ride.” Lordan, who was also on target aboard O’Brien’s Giant Sequoia (2-1 favourite) in the Futurity Stakes, was eclipsed by a stunning performance from McMonagle and Joseph O’Brien, who teamed up for four winners together. Their first success came in the opening Coolmore Stud St Mark’s Basilica Irish EBF Maiden with two-year-old debutant Monogram. Carrying the Juddmonte colours, the Kingman colt was all the rage as the 4-6 favourite and while odds-on backers were made to sweat, he got rolling late to get up and beat Salt Lake by a short head. Coral gave Monogram a 16-1 shot for next year’s 2000 Guineas, and O’Brien said: “He looked nice. We wanted him to relax early and I thought his last furlong was good. “It was obvious from his homework that he was a nice horse. It was an impressive debut. You don’t expect him to do that after he fell out of the gates. “It’s just really nice to have a horse for the Juddmonte team and for the (Abdullah) family. I suppose we’ll see how he pulls up before making plans. He has won his maiden so whether you’d like to go somewhere between now and a big race we’ll discuss it and see.” Acula (11-8 favourite) made it two from two for the team in the Moloney’s Bar and Music Venue Maiden Stakes, coming home half a length ahead of the fast-finishing The Austrian. “It was hard going against the boys but we wanted to come to a nice track. We’ll see how she pulls up and make a plan from there,” said O’Brien. Green Empress (11-4) landed the Group Two Alpha Centauri Debutante Stakes and Yousaynothingatall justified 9-4 favouritism in the Neville O’Byrne Memorial Irish European Breeders Fund Fillies Handicap for the O’Brien-McMonagle axis, while the rider’s other winner was Daniel Murphy’s Bear On The Run (14-1) in the Mitsubishi Electric Handicap.
