Not since the brilliant El Gran Senor scored in 1984 had a three-year-old won the Castlemartin Gladness Stakes, so for Giant's Causeway's 2,000 Guineas price to drift after he kept his unbeaten record in yesterday's Group Three prize seems harsh.
The Aidan O'Brien-trained colt was lengthened a point to 11 to 2 for Newmarket by Paddy Power despite having proved his competitive instincts against older horses while the classic favourite, Distant Music, stared out of his stable at home.
In truth Giant's Causeway never promised the show-stopping acceleration of an El Gran Senor but he carried a penalty against the hardy handicapper Tarry Flynn and beat him threeparts of a length. Plus, there was the virtue of a seeming appetite for a battle.
O'Brien certainly thought so and declared: 'To win that is a big thing. He was thrown in there and he handled it great. The idea today was to teach him because he'll be surrounded by horses in a Guineas and he has to know his job. He learned nothing last year and it was pure ability that got him through.'
Michael Kinane admitted he thought Giant's Causeway was vulnerable beforehand but said afterwards: 'He quickened nicely when I asked and I'm very happy with him.' The jockey now has an enviable job of helping O'Brien tease through his Guineas options.
The Ballydoyle trainer conceded that Bernstein is the only definite for Newmarket where he will make his debut. Rossini will travel to Newbury next weekend for the Greenham and O'Brien added: 'We will probably run something else with Bernstein at Newmarket.'
O'Brien and Kinane will bring Chiang Mai back to the Curragh for the 1,000 Guineas next month after the filly just beat She's Our Mare by a short head in the last event, and Curragh classics are also on Dermot Weld's mind for the easy 10-furlong maiden winner Media Puzzle.
'He's a colt with a very bright future and I see him as an Irish Derby horse. We've always known he has ability and for a Theatrical he has a good temperament. He'll go for the Derrinstown and I think we've a lot to look forward to,' said Weld, who hit the seven-winner mark for the season with Final Exam who took the Duffy Handicap in Bert Firestone's colours.
