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Alan Magee

Alan Magee

Aesop's Fables continues Ballydoyle domination of Futurity

Sat 20th Aug 2022, 16:39

Aesop's Fables and Ryan Moore winning the Futurity StakesAesop's Fables and Ryan Moore winning the Futurity Stakes
© Photo Healy Racing

Aesop’s Fables added to Aidan O’Brien’s great record in the Galileo Irish EBF Futurity Stakes when overcoming an absence of four months to take the Group 2 feature at the Curragh.

The son of No Nay Never, sidelined since making a successful debut at Navan in April, was providing the master of Ballydoyle with his 15th victory in the seven-furlong test and an eighth in the past decade.

Stablemate Hans Andersen looked a more likely winner when asserting over a furlong out but was reeled in by Ryan Moore’s mount in the final 100 yards.

The pair were separated by two-and-a-quarter-lengths at the line with the always prominent 5/4 favourite Proud And Regal a neck further back in third.

O’Brien said, “He had a little setback after winning at Navan and was a long time off. He’s a big, strong powerful horse and is built like a sprinter.

“He travelled well and I was a bit worried going up to seven. We’ll see how he comes out of this before deciding where we go next but you would have to be thinking Group 1 now.

“I would say he will progress a lot from this to his next run.” Aesop's Fables was cut into 14/1 (from 33/1) for next year's 2000 Guineas with Paddy Power and Betfair.

About Alan Magee
Alan has worked in the racing industry for well over 30 years including with the Sporting Life, Turform and Irish Racing Services. He took up his current role as Irish Racing Team Leader with the Press Association in 2013. He has a keen interest in most sports and plays golf.