Leopardstown report: Aidan O'Brien doesn't do too much public emotion but after the momentous half hour he enjoyed on Saturday with both Scorpion in the English Leger and Oratorio's thrilling defeat of Motivator at Leopardstown the champion trainer could have been forgiven some Robbie Keane like cartwheels.
O'Brien's career has already hit heights the rest of us can only dream of. It's just four years since a then world record 23 Group One victories were tallied up in just one season. But even by those standards, Saturday was special, especially on the back of a less than brilliant 2004 campaign.
Scorpion's pillar-to-post win at Doncaster, under a vintage Frankie Dettori ride, meant that three of the five English classics this year have gone to Ballydoyle. In contrast there has been a blank in the home classics to date. Oratorio came close in the Guineas but his success on Saturday has taken him on to another level again. "Oratorio is an amazing horse. He has everything - speed, stamina and a big heart. He came back jarred after winning the Eclipse and it was a serious job from everybody to have him right. Kieren gave him a master ride," O'Brien said in his quietly delighted way.
In turn, Fallon, riding in the race for the first time, was happy to praise the colt and express quiet amusement at how Oratorio had been virtually ignored in the build up. Sure enough the half length margin over Motivator was the same as in the Eclipse with only a head back to the unlucky in running Alexander Goldrun.
Oratorio's stable companion Ace was in fourth and then came the favourite Azamour who ran the worst race of his 11-race career to date. However, a reason for that emerged yesterday.
"He looks to have tweaked a little muscle in his back," reported John Oxx. "The physios and vets have looked at him and while he has eaten up, and is in good form, there is a little bit of soreness there. He was only beaten two lengths and it wouldn't have taken much to account for that."
Oxx added: "In a way we are happy to find something because that was the first below par effort he has put in. Christophe (Soumillon) said he lost his footing on the turn in and he wasn't the same afterwards. He still has the options of the Arc and the Breeders' Cup Turf."
Plans are less clear for Oratorio although the Champion Stakes at Newmarket was mentioned by O'Brien in the immediate aftermath. It was no surprise to hear from Michael Bell that the Arc is next for Motivator, certainly a lot less surprising than the uncertainty before Saturday's race about whether or not the Derby runner would be risked on an almost perfect surface.
That much had earlier been indicated by the unusual mechanism of Deirdre Johnston's high heels which guaranteed the participation of Attraction in the Coolmore Matron Stakes.
Last year's runner-up would not have run on soft ground and the wife of trainer Mark Johnston arrived at Leopardstown prepared to take the star filly out.
"My penetrometers are my high heels and they are the best judge. We felt the ground was okay for her," said Mrs Johnston after Attraction's three quarter length defeat of Chic.
Christophe Soumillon, on his first visit to Leopardstown, looked to give Chic a lot to do and he also took a less than straight course on board Alayan in the Listed Kilternen Stakes. However, the Oxx-trained colt was still too good for Good Surprise and could go next for the Prix Dollar at Longchamp over the Arc de Triomphe weekend.
Not surprisingly though it was the O'Brien team that dominated the day and not just because of Oratorio's big race success.
Dylan Thomas was cut to as low as 20 to 1 for next year's Guineas after keeping his unbeaten record in the Foal Levy Stakes and Briolette wore down Burren Rose late home in the mile and a half handicap.
The four-timer was started, however, in the juvenile maiden where Septimus beat off his stable companion Arabian Prince. The winner landed a tidy gamble too, being backed from 20-1 to 10-1.
