Ballydoyle adds Leopardstown double to big races wins in Ascot

Aidan O'Brien and his Ballydoyle juggernaut sent out two winners either side of the Irish Sea today as final winner Mount Everest landed the Listed Trigo Stakes on home soil at Leopardstown, adding to earlier big race wins at Ascot. Celtic High King s win in the opening maiden at Leopardstown and Mount Everest's success in the Listed Trigo Stakes at the Dublin venue sandwiched a pair of tasty Ascot wins for the trainer and his jockey son Donnacha O'Brien, courtesy of Kew Gardens and Magical in the Long Distance Cup and Champions Stakes respectively.

At Leopardstown, Ballydoyle's fourth winner Mount Everest and jockey Wayne Lordan went in pursuit of clear leader Ancient Spirit with two furlongs to race and in the end finished strongly to edge in front close home, for a head win.

Afterwards Lordan stated “the second horse got a little bit loose up front so he did well to chase him down; he stays well.

“He's a horse that's after coming off a long lay-off and I think racing will improve him. I think he'll be better on nicer ground as well. It's good to get one on the board anyway.”

Quotes from Gary Carson