Aidan O'Brien, out of luck at Newmarket's Guineas meeting over the weekend, received some compensation when Yeoman's Point made all to win the Glanbia Classic Trial at Gowran Park yesterday.
Watched by a large crowd, the 13 to 8 favourite quickened the tempo after rounding the home turn to shrug off the John Oxx-trained Akbar by a length and a half.
"He's a nice horse and was running a bit lazily but he enjoyed himself," said winning rider Seamus Heffernan who went on to complete a double when employing similar tactics aboard the O'Brien-trained Aspen Leaves in the Sycamore EBF Fillies maiden.
The manner of victory this time was far more eye-catching as the daughter of Woodman drew steadily clear in good style inside the final furlong to come home with eight lengths to spare over the well-touted Institutrice.
Curragh trainer John Oxx got off the mark for the current campaign when the well-supported Khaysan and Shane Kelly scored in the one mile handicap. "All my horses are in good health but I have made a slow start," admitted Oxx before he reported his filly Edabiya on target for the Irish 1,000 Guineas later this month. "She's in good form and all going well will run at the Curragh."
A gamble was foiled in the penultimate Billy Kelly Maiden when Dermot Weld's Creux Noir, backed from 5 to 1 in places down to favouritism at 6 to 4, had no answer to nine-length winner Pillar Rock. Sheltering, runner-up to Castle Mane at Punchestown last week, got back in the winning grove when making virtually all to beat Monty's Pass under Philip Fenton.
Meanwhile, at Cork on Saturday, Aidan O'Brien's firm grip on the juvenile scene loosened slightly in the EBF Maiden over six furlongs. The John Joe Walshtrained Harry's Game upset the sequence when beating Ostrovsky by a neck. "It's the only two-year-old I have in training. He did a great piece of work the other day which gave me hope but I still didn't think we'd beat the O'Brien newcomer," said Walsh.
Later, Spencer teamed up with Tommy Stack's Antinnaz in the featured Cork Sprint Stakes. After starting slowly, she arrived with her challenge at the two pole but appeared to slip, losing momentum at a crucial stage and hampering eventual winner Immovable Option. "She hit a soft patch and rolled on me when I hit it," remarked Spencer, who eventually finished third.
