Blackbeard routs rivals in Marble Hill

Royal Ascot is the next port of call for Blackbeard (5/2) which plundered the Curragh's Gain Marble Hill Stakes today and maintained his undefeated record.

The son of No Nay Never made all under jockey Ryan Moore for an impressive three and a half lengths win over Tough Talk (1/1f), to notch a third career win for Coolmore's Smith/Magnier/Tabor/Westerberg quadrumvirate.

Afterwards winning trainer Aidan O'Brien reported “we weren't exactly sure that he would get six, Ryan thought the last day that he would and obviously he got it very well. He relaxed very well and quickened very well, that's what you'd really love about him.

“No Nay Never is usually an influence for speed, which is good, but some of them don't get beyond sprinting distances. Looking at this horse there is every chance that he could.

“The first day he was very green in Dundalk and then he just won here the next day on his first run on grass and obviously learned a lot from that and came forward.”

He added “we thought he'd be either a Norfolk or Coventry horse and he can go either way I think, but you'd have to say he's a Coventry type. We ran him today to see and you couldn't say he didn't pass that test.”

Quotes from Gary Carson