Sport

Pedro The Great lands eventful Phoenix

RACING: PEDRO THE Great won an eventful renewal of the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes for Aidan O’Brien – his 12th victory in the …

Mon Aug 13 2012 - 01:00

RACING:PEDRO THE Great won an eventful renewal of the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes for Aidan O'Brien – his 12th victory in the Group One race – at the Curragh yesterday.

The drama began in the parade ring with Lottie Dod unshipping Johnny Murtagh who was stood down for the rest of the day and was taken for facial X-rays. He was replaced by Smullen.

Then with two furlongs to run Cristoforo Colombo, a stablemate of the winner, appeared to clip heels with Probably and came down. Thankfully both the horse and rider, Joseph O’Brien, walked away from the incident although O’Brien senior did report that Cristoforo Colombo had a cut to a leg. Seamie Heffernan avoided all the trouble on Pedro The Great, keeping wide throughout before coming away to win comfortably by two and three-quarter lengths from Leitir Mor.

“He won his maiden very impressively. He was a bit fresh the last day and we decided to take our time with him today and he settled well.,” said O’Brien. “He won’t mind stepping up to seven furlongs and it’s quite possible he will come back here for the National Stakes.”

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Dermot Weld’s ever-popular Famous Name landed the first Group Two race of his illustrious career in the Keeneland Royal Whip Stakes at the Curragh.

The seven-year-old, a veteran in Flat Pattern-race terms, was winning for the 19th time and all but his maiden success have been at either Listed or Group Three level.

Pat Smullen has been on board the Khalid Abdullah-owned entire for all bar one of his 36 starts.

John Oxx’s Irish Derby runner-up Born To Sea was expected to give him plenty to do but that one never settled and Famous Name eased to victory by six and a half lengths. “He is an amazing horse,” said Weld.

O’Brien’s former Group One-winning sprinter Starspangledbanner was tailed off on his comeback from an unsuccessful stud career in the Patrick P. O’Leary Memorial Phoenix Sprint Stakes.

The race was fought out by Gordon Lord Byron and Fire Lily with the latter swooping late to prevail by half a length under Wayne Lordan. “She’s done it well today, despite the ground, and she is a lovely consistent filly and could come back here next month for the Renaissance Stakes,” said trainer David Wachman.

Earlier on the card Oxx’s 2 to 5 favourite Harasiya was beaten in the Keeneland Debutante Stakes by My Special J’s.