The Independent Waterford Wedgewood Phoenix Stakes was the undoubted highlight of the week`s action, and Colm O`Donoghue partnered his first Group 1 winner when Spartacus recorded a shock victory, writes Alan Magee.
The first juvenile Group 1 event of the season was switched to the Curragh from its normal home at Leopardstown due to the M50 motorway development, but the change of venue made no difference to Aidan O`Brien who was saddling his fifth successive winner of the six furlongs race.
The Danehill colt, sent off the 16/1 outsider of O`Brien`s four runners, proceeded to make virtually all, and dug deep in the closing stages to beat stable-companion Marino Marini by half a length. Hold That Tiger was the main hope from Ballydoyle, but the 11/10 favourite dropped away tamely two furlongs out and was later found to be in `respiratory distress`.
O`Donoghue had never ridden a Group winner of any description before, and the 21-year-old Cork apprentice was understandably delighted with this success, his 75th in total on the track.
The disappointing effort of Hold That Tiger underlined the worrying extent of a virus sweeping through the O`Brien stable at present. High profile three-year-olds such as dual Derby winner High Chaparral, and Eclipse hero Hawk Wing are among those sidelined due to coughing, while star miler Rock Of Gibraltar has been put on the easy list as a precautionary measure.
Billy Lee is a name to keep an eye on in the coming months judged by the cool, stylish performance he gave when opening his account at Sligo on Wednesday. The 16-year-old Limerick apprentice is from a strong racing background, with his mother, Edwina Finn, and sister, Gillian Lee, both currently among the training ranks. Lee has already notched up 57 wins on the pony racing circuit, and his Sligo victory on the Tommy Stack-trained Zeno is likely to be the first of many.
The resurgent form of the John Oxx yard has been a feature of the past fortnight, and six winners in two days earlier this week rammed home the point. The Currabeg handler recorded doubles at both Bank Holiday meetings on Monday, with Miss Honorine taking the Listed Platinum Stakes at Cork.
The Irish jump jockey team of Jimmy Mansell, Mark Madden, Sean McDermott and Danny Howard have taken a firm grip on the annual challenge against their Australian counterparts. Howard led home a 1-2-3 for the visitors in a chase at Morphettville on Saturday, and Mansell added to the Irish lead when also winning a hurdle on the same card.
Alan Magee
