Fairy Godmother came from last to first to book her ticket to Royal Ascot in the Coolmore Stud Irish EBF Fillies Sprint Stakes at Naas.
Odds-on backers had their fingers burnt after the Night Of Thunder filly was beaten into second place by the reopposing Sparkling Sea on her racecourse debut three weeks ago and she was a well-backed 6-5 favourite to take her revenge in the rematch.
Given a patient ride by Ryan Moore, Fairy Godmother quickened up smartly from the rear of the six-strong field to throw down her challenge fast and late and this time she proved a neck too strong for Sparkling Sea, with California Dreamer close up behind in third.
O'Brien confirmed the Albany Stakes as her intended next port of call.
Despite running really green, Fairy Godmother (6-5F) gets up in the shadow of the post to land the Group Three Coolmore Stud Irish EBF Fillies Sprint Stakes at Naas for Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore. pic.twitter.com/0iXNBz6mrd
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) May 19, 2024
He said: "We thought that she would win the first day, but she was very green and obviously with a first time out two-year-old, anything can happen. The filly that beat her is obviously a very good filly.
"Even though they went slow today, the plan was to drop her in and teach her and we needed to find out what way to ride her in Ascot. Ryan said she’s very classy, gets six furlongs very well, as we saw, and will get seven.
"I’d say she’s an Albany filly, that’s the way she looks. She will have learned a lot from today."
Bucanero Fuerte saw off all comers to make a successful start to his campaign in the Goffs Lacken Stakes.
Adrian Murray's Wootton Bassett colt proved himself at the very highest level as a juvenile last season, winning the Group Two Railway Stakes and the Group One Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh as well as finishing third in the Coventry at Royal Ascot.
He was well beaten by Henry Longfellow on his final start of 2023 in the National Stakes in September, but proved he retains plenty of ability with a determined front-running display on his comeback.
Dropping back to six furlongs at Group Three level, 2-1 shot Bucanero Fuerte was on the pace from the off in the hands of David Egan and with the stands’ rail to help, he stuck to his guns deep inside the last of six furlongs to repel the late thrust of 5-4 favourite Givemethebeatboys by a head.
The Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot is the immediate target for the winner.
Bucanero Fuerte (2-1) edges out favourite Givemethebeatboys in the Goffs Lacken Stakes at Naas for David Egan and Adrian Murray. pic.twitter.com/cy1yDMjlWC
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) May 19, 2024
Robson Aguiar, Murray’s assistant, said: "He’s a nice horse and is going to improve a lot because we were not hard on him and he will get fit from the race.
"He will go over six furlongs at Ascot. He has great speed and he stays well, so that is the plan for him now."
The King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot is next on the agenda for Aesop's Fables after he bounced back back to form.
Aidan O’Brien’s speedster was placed twice at Group One level last season, finishing third in both the Prix de l’Abbaye at Longchamp and the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita.
Ryan Moore’s mount failed to fire on his first start of the year in the Woodlands Stakes at this venue three weeks ago, but raised his game to claim the Listed Sole Power Sprint Stakes by a neck as an 11-4 shot from Twilight Jet, with massive outsider So Majestic just a neck further behind in third.
Aesop's Fables (11-4) claims the Sole Power Sprint Stakes over a stiff five furlongs at Naas for Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore. pic.twitter.com/A8X5rAnycs
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) May 19, 2024
"He came really good last year and was only just beaten in an Abbaye and a Breeders’ Cup Sprint," said O’Brien.
"He usually takes a few runs to get right. We ran him the last day in blinkers on soft ground and he ran very keen and just didn’t finish out, so we left them off him today.
"We’re delighted with him. The ground is beautiful here and he’s a big, powerful, fast horse. He’s hardy and a real sprinter. We are thinking of the five-furlong race at Ascot."
The Ger Lyons-trained Mutasarref claimed top honours in the Owenstown Stud Stakes under a confident ride from champion jockey Colin Keane.
The well-backed 13-8 shot looked all dressed up with nowhere to go when pinned against the rail, but Keane did not panic and once the daylight came, his mount was well able to reel in the leaders and score by three-quarters of a length without being asked for maximum effort.
The Ger Lyons-trained Mutasarref (13-8) pounces late on in Owenstown Stud Stakes at Naas under an ice-cool ride from Colin Keane. pic.twitter.com/gqtSwagejw
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) May 19, 2024
Lyons said: "The more trouble he gets into in a race, the more he seems to like it. He came back from an injury and as Colin said he’s back to himself.
"That’s his grade and seven furlongs. A mile is just a tad beyond him."
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