Joseph O’Brien’s Above The Curve secured Group One honours in Paris on Sunday. Ryan Moore guided the 7-5 favourite to success in the €250,000 Prix Saint-Alary sponsored by her owner’s Coolmore Stud at the Longchamp track.
Above The Curve became the first Irish-trained winner of the prestigious contest that was first run in 1960 and which is a traditional trial for next month’s French Oaks.
The filly was cut to 4-1 by some firms for that Prix De Diane at Chantilly although the Curragh’s Pretty Polly Stakes over Irish Derby weekend could be her next target.
Moore tracked Blue Wings to well into the straight before unleashing the Irish raider who at the line had a length in hand of her local rival Place Du Carrousel with Queen Trezy in third.
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Above The Curve’s chance had been helped beforehand when the English raider Prosperous Voyage was ruled out due to travel difficulties in Dover.
“She’s a lovely filly who is still learning. A steady pace didn’t really suit and she was a bit idle in front but she was always doing what she had to.
“She’s a huge girl and there’s still a lot of potential and improvement to come,” an impressed Moore said afterwards.
A Coolmore spokesperson commented: “She has entries in all the big fillies’ races including the Prix de Royallieu and the Prix de Diane but her next race likely to be the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh.”
It was O’Brien’s second Group One success in France this year following State Of Rest’s victory in the Prix Ganay.
The 29-year-old trainer will target Tranquil Lady at this Friday’s Cazoo Oaks at Epsom where Tom Marquand takes the ride.
It completed a successful weekend’s action for Moore who landed a double at Navan on Saturday including an impressive debut for the two-year-old filly Statuette.
The daughter of US Triple Crown winner Justify is one of the market leaders for Royal Ascot’s Albany Stakes on the back of her three-length defeat of Olivia Maralda.
“She’s a lovely, big filly and she was a standout physically. She did that really nicely. She’s a Justify out of Immortal Verse so she’s got an incredible pedigree,” Moore said afterwards.
Monday’s Irish action is over jumps at Ballinrobe where the champion conditional jockey Jack Foley teams up with the course winner It’s Time Again in a handicap hurdle division.
It’s Time Again is 9lbs higher in the ratings for scoring at the Mayo track four weeks ago but won with some authority by nine lengths on that occasion. Foley’s 5lb claim looks a major plus.
Lady L’leron was runner-up to Bonne Debut at Punchestown last week when nicely supported in the market. She can go close in the other division.
Our Dylan only gave best in the closing stages at Clonmel earlier this month and could progress from that on decent ground.
