Parliament Square takes Listed feature

Parliament Square took the step up from maiden company to Listed class in his stride with a game win under Joseph O’Brien at Tipperary.

The featured Danehill Dancer Tipperary Stakes over five furlongs on the card had a small field of five runners (Tale Of Fame and Dylanbaru were non-runners due to the change in going), but lacked nothing in quality with four previous winners on show.

Parliament Square had belatedly shed his maiden tag at the fourth time of asking when winning at Fairyhouse last week for trainer Aidan O’Brien.

The 2/1 favourite responded to O’Brien’s urgings today to collar Boston Rocker (10/1) 100 yards from home and win by half a length. Zoola (100/30), a course and distance winner on good to firm ground, hit the front two furlongs out with Johnny Murtagh in the saddle, but couldn’t pick up and came in third, beaten two and a quarter lengths.

Joseph O’Brien said: “He can be quite lazy. The cheekpieces helped as he idled in front. He’s improving all the time.”

The winner is now two from two when wearing cheekpieces.

Michael Graham (on course reporting by Thomas Weekes)