Lope Y Fernandez leads home 1, 2, 3 for O'Brien Lope Y Fernandez led home a 1, 2, 3 for Aidan O'Brien in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF (C&G) Maiden. Bought for a massive E900,000 at Arqana Deauville August Yearlings Sale last year, the son of Lope De Vega is a half-brother to Dark Vision who won a Group 2 at Goodwood last summer and finished twelfth behind Magna Grecia in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket in May. Expected to go close this evening, the bay colt was sent off an easy to back 15/8 favourite (11/10 in early shows) under Donnacha O'Brien. Settled behind the leaders, he was pushed along to lead just over a furlong from home, keeping on well from there to score comfortably, by three and three parts of a length. Kipling (10/3) kept on to take second under Seamie Heffernan, while Mythologic (12/1) was another length and a quarter back in third. The Ken Condon trained Galatic Grey, who was backed from 25s to 6s on-course, was beaten a nose into fourth. "You'd be delighted with him. They are three lovely horses," said Aidan O'Brien. "Seamie was very happy with his horse and Wayne was very happy as well. "The winner could be a Chesham horse and so could the other two. "I'd say the winner is nice, he picked up well and travelled well throughout the race. Donnacha was very happy with him." Additional reporting by Gary Carson
