CURRAGH REPORT: AGAIN MANAGED the considerable feat of winning yesterday's Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh while at the same time providing ample evidence that her best is yet to come.
Séamus Heffernan successfully substituted for the suspended pair of Johnny Murtagh and Wayne Lordan and notched up his third Group One of the season at headquarters after Frozen Fire in the Derby and Halfway To Heaven in the 1,000 Guineas.
Despite never travelling particularly well in the race Again always looked the most likely winner and the 6 to 4 favourite held off her market rival Shimah by half a length.
Immediate bookmaker reaction was to quote Again at a general 10 to 1 to fulfil her own Classic ambitions in next year's Guineas at Newmarket and the winning trainer, David Wachman, immediately indicated he believes his filly can only get better.
"She's a big weak filly right now and she could be an exciting three-year-old. She's a filly for next year," said Wachman who was collecting his second Group One in seven days following Bushranger's Prix Morny at Deuaville. Yesterday's success was a fourth top-flight victory in all for Wachman.
Heffernan wasn't disagreeing and reported: "She's good, very game, but might still be a bit weak. She might not want further but she will stay further."
The stewards held an inquiry into possible interference between the first two inside the final furlong but allowed the result stand.
Afterwards Wachman added: "I was concerned about there being just two weeks since her last race. It was very tight. I'm just sorry Wayne couldn't ride. He does a lot of the work and when Johnny was suspended it looked a good opportunity for him."
Again is out of an un-raced half- sister to Montjeu and as well as her Guineas odds being slashed after yesterday's display she was also installed a 20 to 1 shot in some books for next year's Oaks.
Other classic odds were floating about after Maoineach's winning debut in the Group Three Round Tower Stakes and the 25 to 1 for next year's 1,000 Guineas are less than double yesterday's SP for the Jim Bolger-trained filly.
Despite that weakness in the market there was no doubting the American bred's superiority as she put the race to bed in a matter of strides to beat Silver Shoon and Cristal Island. The well-backed favourite, Kamado, could finish only fifth.
Bolger reported that he only received Maoineach in April after she was purchased at a Breeze-Up sale and said: "She is in the Prix Marcel Boussac and that's a possible but most of the other races were closed by the time we knew anything about her. I'd say she will handle any ground and she has a future."
The 2006 Prix Marcel Boussac unveiled Finsceal Beo to the international racing world and she subsequently added to her Group One tally with memorable victories in last year's English and Irish 1,000 Guineas.
Yesterday's Listed Dance Design Stakes looked an ideal opportunity for her to win for the first time since then but the Classic star faded to finish third behind Beach Bunny. "She travelled like a winner but didn't pick up," said Finsceal Beo's rider Kevin Manning.
"The way the favourite travelled you would think she'd bolt up but I think our filly has improved and she will stay in training next year," said Beach Bunny's trainer Kevin Prendergast.
That also appears to be the plan for Look Busy who was too good for Masta Plasta in the Group Three Flying Five.
Tis Mighty travelled much the best throughout the Cambridgeshire and under a cool ride from Emmett McNamara asserted control inside the final furlong to beat Amarama and Zero Tolerance.
