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Royal Ascot’s Albany Stakes hots up as Matrika makes winning Curragh debut

3 minute read

Aidan O’Brien looked to add to his Royal Ascot juvenile team when Matrika (6/1) produced a professional display to land the Curragh’s opening 6f furlong maiden.

MATRIKA.
MATRIKA. Picture: Pat Healy

Despite being slowly away she always looked to be travelling powerfully under Ryan Moore and made smooth headway to race prominently throughout. The daughter of No Nay Never picked up well for pressure and eventually drew clear for a comfortable three-quarter length success. Joseph O'Brien's Grand Job (7/1) stuck to her task well to fill the runner-up spot while there was plenty of promise from Donnacha's Mysteries (7/2), who stayed on nicely to grab third.

A half-sister to The Wow Signal, who won the Coventry Stakes on his second career start, Matrika will now look to emulate her relative's Royal Ascot success with a tilt at the Albany Stakes on the cards.

Paddy Power introduced her at 6/1 into the Albany market on the back of that impressive debut victory.

Aidan O'Brien said: "She's so lazy at home that she's been wearing blinkers the last few weeks in work. We had them [blinkers declared] on, but then took them off at the last minute as we said we couldn't run her first time in them. Wayne [Lordan] rides her every day and said to leave them off her for her first run."

"She's so lazy at home, that's why she hasn't run until now. She's a well-bred filly and is a sister to The Wow Signal."

When questioned about Royal Ascot he added: "We'll have a look at something like the Albany with her. We'll leave them [blinkers] off her for the moment, but she is better with them on!"

Drumroll lands dramatic Gallinule courtesy of stewards decision

Aidan O'Brien's brilliant weekend continued but not without drama as Drumroll (4/5) was promoted to first having placed second in the Group 3 Heider Family Stables Gallinule Stakes.

He finished runner-up to yesterday's Irish 2000 Guineas winner Paddington in the Listed Tetrarch Stakes over a mile here on his last start but seemingly relished the step up to ten furlongs for the first time this afternoon.

Ryan Moore always looked well-positioned on the full-brother to Saxon Warrior as the pair tracked leader Young Ireland and first past the post Teutates in the early stages. It soon became clear that Drumroll and Teutates (22/1) would have it between them as they began to do battle up the Curragh straight.

Drumroll began to bare down on the leaders but Gavin Ryan's mount Teutates showed a tenacious attitude and failed to lie down in the closing stages.

However, despite Drumroll finishing a short-head behind Teutates passing the post the head-on revealed the winner had caused significant interference bumping the runner-up twice inside the final furlong.

The result was reversed, and Drumroll may now have the Irish Derby on his agenda.

Aidan O'Brien went on to say: He's progressing, and a mile and a quarter looks a good trip for him. The Irish Derby is a possibility. He's still a bit of a baby and ran a bit green."

On the eventual runner-up son Donnacha went on to add: "He's run a cracker. We always thought he was a stakes horse and works like that at home. To be honest I ran him in this to get him into one of the handicaps in Ascot as he had to go up a few pounds.

"As you can see there, he can run around a little bit so he's a hard horse to win with. I thought it would be easier to get him up in the weights by running in a stakes race rather than winning a handicap with him. He's better on that kind of surface."


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