Ballydoyle lands Debutante Stakes at the Curragh

Galileo filly starts as 11-8 favourite and pulls clear to win from stablemate Most Beautiful

Ballydoyle ridden by Joseph O’Brien on the way to winning the Breast Cancer Research Debutante Stakes. Photograph: PA
Ballydoyle ridden by Joseph O’Brien on the way to winning the Breast Cancer Research Debutante Stakes. Photograph: PA

Ballydoyle continued her progression with a dominant victory in the Breast Cancer Research Debutante Stakes.

The beautifully-bred Galileo filly was sent off a warm 11-8 favourite for the Group Two contest following her breakthrough success at Newmarket and was quickly dictating matters out in front.

Fellow O'Brien representative Minding and David Wachman's Most Beautiful tried to make a race of it but failed to land a serious blow and pulled clear for a comfortable two-length victory from her stablemate.

“She’s a very nice filly. She jumped and travelled. I made the running and thought I went a nice even gallop. It was never really in doubt,” said Joseph O’Brien.

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“She’s a big, long-striding filly. She has a great pedigree and is genuine. She ticks all the boxes.

“The Moyglare is the obvious race. She has a lot of pace and could came back to six if she had to, but I don’t imagine she’ll be doing that. She has a big engine.”

William Hill promoted Ballydoyle to 10-1 favouritism for the Qipco 1000 Guineas.

Earlier Curragh Moviesta sprouted wings to get up in the dying strides of the Gerrardstown House Stud Supporting Breast Cancer Research Renaissance Stakes.

Toscanini dictated terms to suit himself and was still on the bridle when his rivals were working much harder as they approached the furlong pole in the Group Three dash.

Gordon Lord Byron tried valiantly to get to him but it was 8-1 chance Moviesta, part-owned by Harry Redknapp and on his fourth outing for Edward Lynam, who came with a wet sail on the stands rail to collar the leader and oblige by three-quarters of a length.

"I fancied him in Goodwood, but it all went pear-shaped," said Lynam. "When I got him initially, myself and Wayne Lordan, who usually rides him work, were of the strong opinion that he was a six-furlong Group horse.

“When he ran at Ascot there was a change of opinion and we thought he was a five-furlong horse. Now I’m inclined to believe he’s a six-furlong horse. He bled in Goodwood and has had a few issues, but he’s a very good horse.

“They are nice lads to train for and I’m delighted to train a winner for Harry. I wish he was managing my team (Man Utd) at the minute — they might have done a bit better!

“We’ll try and find a nice race for him now.”

Before Moviesta's win Coolmore made an encouraging start to her career, despite having to settle for third in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden at the Curragh.

The well-touted sister to Gleneagles and Marvellous was backed down to 8-15 favouritism and raced at the back of the field through the early stages under Joseph O’Brien.

She was labouring halfway down the straight but picked up nicely once the penny dropped and finished best of all to make the frame, just three-quarters of a length behind Dermot Weld-trained 9-1 winner Zalfana, with Ceol An Ghra splitting them.

Weld said: “I expected her to run very well and I thought she did it nicely. She’s a lovely staying filly in the making.

“She’ll probably have one more run in the Staffordstown Stud Stakes in mid-October here.

“I think she’ll be a very progressive filly. The one thing that would stop her running would be soft ground as she has a good action.

“She loved the ground today and I think she’ll progress along the right lines.”