Fountain Of Youth (centre)© Photo Healy Racing
Fourteen to one outsider of the field Fountain Of Youth caused a surprise to win the Group 3 Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprise Sapphire Stakes at the Curragh today, winning for trainer Aidan O'Brien and 'stand-in' rider Seamie Heffernan.
O'Brien's son Joseph O'Brien, stable jockey at Ballydoyle, had opted to ride British raider Monsieur Joe in the race but Heffernan made most of his opportunity, forcing the son of Oasis Dream to the front in the closing stages for a head win over Extortionist
Afterwards O'Brien senior stated “I was running him over the wrong distances obviously when we were trying to get a mile with him. We tried to make him get a mile on heavy ground and that was probably like running over a mile and a quarter so it was a big disadvantage what we were trying to do.”
Regarding the application of first-time blinkers on Fountain Of Youth today, O'Brien added “coming back to that sort trip on that fast ground he needed every bit of help to keep him awake and Seamie gave him a great ride. We'll keep him to five or six (furlongs) now and he's in all the big sprints.”
Top class performer Maarek was an absentee in the race, officially reported to have a stone bruise.
By Thomas Weekes, quotes from Gary Carson
