Fascinating Rock books his ticket to Epsom Derby

He had to get it in the steward's room but Fascinating Rock heads to the Epsom Derby in less than four weeks time with a notable trial double under his belt after putting a dramatic seal on a resounding Group Three hat-trick for Dermot Weld and Pat Smullen at Leopardstown yesterday.

Some of the most evocative names in modern racing history, Galileo and High Chaparral, added the Derrinstown Derby Trial to earlier Ballysax Stakes victories, before proceeding to blue-riband glory at Epsom.

Fascinating Rock, though, has carved out a unique version of the famous double, winning the Ballysax in a one-off switch to Navan, and yesterday getting the race in the steward’s room after passing the post a head behind Ebanoran in a desperate finish.

It was hardly spectacular, and the race wasn’t particularly satisfactory, while even Fascinating Rock’s trainer described the current Classic favourite Australia as a “stand-out.” Bookmakers were generally offering 16/1 about Weld finally breaking his Derby-duck while the demoted Ebanoran is 20/1 for Epsom. But at the end of a near-25 minute inquiry, justice appeared to have been done.

Off a very slow pace, the field quickened up on the turn-in, with Ebanoran speeding up best although hanging left towards the rail as he did so, hampering the Ballydoyle hope Geoffrey Chaucer. Fascinating Rock had been last on the turn-in and initially looked to be caught out, only starting to rally as a wayward Ebanoran hung right towards him with Declan McDonogh switching his whip to his left hand.

Geoffrey Chaucer wasn't helped again by having to be snatched up by Joseph O'Brien but it was a coming together between the first two just yards before the line that looked to leave the stewards with little alternative but to switch the places of the first two.

Subsequent inquiry
That the subsequent inquiry took almost 25 minutes produced inevitable speculation that Ebanoran might be allowed hang on to the race but eventually what looked a straight-forward call was confirmed. McDonogh subsequently got a three-day ban for careless riding.

“It’s not the way you want to win races but it did look like he was the best horse on the day,” said Weld who pointed to the top of the straight as the crucial element of the race rather than close to the line.

“Off the turn, when they quickened up, he loses his hind-end momentum. This is the first day he’s been asked to really sprint and Pat sat on him, waited for him to get balanced again, and in that time the other horse has gone.”

After earlier Group Three triumphs for Mustajeeb and Afternoon Sunlight, on top of a remarkable strike-rate in the season overall to date, there’s no hotter trainer in Europe right now than Weld who immediately confirmed Fascinating Rock for Epsom.

"He will have learned so much from today. It wasn't a satisfactory race and the whole problem was off the home-turn. He was asked to sprint and it took him a few strides to get the hang of it," he said before appearing to sum up the majority view after a week of mostly inconclusive trials. "Australia stands out: you can't get away from Classic form."

On the cards
Another clash between yesterday's principals looks like it could be on the cards at Epsom and Ebanoran's trainer John Oxx said: "Tackling Australia, 20/1 might reflect his chance: but I like the way he is going. He's getting better and there's no end of stamina in his family."

Mustajeeb will get his own Classic chance in the Irish 2,000 Guineas in a fortnight after beating older runners in style in the Amethyst Stakes.

“He had a test against older horses, and I set him a task too because I wanted to put him in behind horses. I was very impressed with him,” said Smullen who could wind up choosing between the winner and Alkaaser in the first Irish Classic.

Afternoon Sunlight could get her own Classic shot in the Irish 1,000 after making all to beat Palace in yesterday’s 1,000 Trial. Aidan O’Brien reported the runner-up, Palace, was showing signs of being in season when she was being saddled up and that filly was slow away from stalls in a race that Smullen immediately grabbed the initiative in. “She will have to step forward again but she stuck her head out there. She’ll go beyond a mile okay,” said Smullen who faces a potential head-scratcher in picking from Weld’s crop of talented three-year-old fillies.

Jim Bolger and Kevin Manning combined for a 356/1 double with Edge Of Sanity and the 20/1 maiden winner Sundara. Manning switched to Sundara after his original mount, Wexford Town, was taken out due to the change in going.