Australia justifies odds-on favouritism

After finishing an unlucky runner-up on his debut over the course and distance last month, Australia got it right on the second time of asking as he took the opener at the Curragh this afternoon, the Darley EBF Maiden.

The bay colt, who is by Galileo and out of the brilliant Ouija Board, was very slow away on his debut but flew home in the closing stages to finish just a neck behind Renaissance Art.

Sent off the 3/10 favourite to make amends today, he was soon settled in second. He was sent to the front by Joseph O’Brien at the two furlong pole and he was driven out from there to score by three parts of a length.

Newcomer Carla Bianca ran a cracker under Pat Smullen for Dermot Weld. The grey daughter of Dansili made the winner work all the way to the line, finishing a gallant second at 14/1.

The other Ballydoyle representative, Juniper Tree (who is a son of five time Group 1 winner Alexander Goldrun), kept on well to take third, five lengths back under Seamie Heffernan at 10/1.

Winning trainer Aidan O’Brien said afterwards: "He is still very babyish. He was slow away again and he seems to go asleep in the stalls.

"We will take our time with him. He could be anything as the penny hasn’t really dropped with him yet. He has a lot of talent."

Boylesports have introduced the winner at 20/1 in the betting for the 2014 Epsom Derby.

Additional reporting by Alan Magee